SCOOBY DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED

by Jane Louise Boursaw

Rated PG (for some scary action, rude humor and language). 93 minutes.

My kids and I are huge Scooby Doo fans (I grew up watching that crazy canine and have no problem with the kids doing the same). So we were excited when this movie came out in theaters and more recently on DVD.

The story opens with the Mystery, Inc. gang attending the red-carpet opening of a museum displaying monster costumes from all the cases they’ve solved. But jinkies! One of the costumes is still inhabited by a giant pterodactyl ghost who terrorizes the charity crowd!

The gang’s attempts to corral the pesky spirit fail, and all heck breaks loose when a masked villain wreaks mayhem on the city of Coolsville with a monster machine that re-creates all the classic foes, including Captain Cutler’s Ghost, the Black Knight Ghost, and the 10,000 Volt Ghost.

The gang is lambasted in the press as having lost their touch, and they must prove themselves all over again. Shaggy and Scooby take the brunt of the “we’re losers” mentality and do some serious soul-searching about whether they really belong in the ghost-hunting group.

The cast from the first Scooby movie is back, led by Matthew Lillard, who’s so much like the cartoon Shaggy, it’s…well, it’s scary! Freddie Prinze, Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Linda Cardellini round out the gang. Alicia Silverstone plays a trash-TV reporter determined to turn the town against Mystery, Inc. with her out-of-context reports. Peter Boyle is Old Man Wickles, and Seth Green is the museum curator who makes a play for Velma.

WHAT WE LIKED: This movie is bright and colorful, and the action is non-stop. If it’s geared towards 10-year-old kids, then that’s what I must be, because I loved it. My 10-year-old Will loved the monsters and action, and 7-year-old Marissa and I enjoyed the fact that the Velma and Daphne were equally ingenious (if not more so) than the guys. We loved it when Daphne got them out of a tight spot with some face powder and a pore strip from her purse, then chirped, “I enjoy being a girl!”

A groovy soundtrack by Simple Plan, New Radicals, Ruben Studdard, the B-52’s, and others adds to the fun.

WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE: As with most kids’ movies, this one had lots of “passing gas” and burping jokes – with monster-thwarting results, in some cases. Kids might like it, but parents don’t have to!

This movie is also a lot like “Ghostbusters,” where you’ll recall that Bill Murray et al had similar problems with hoards of ghosts haunting New York City. Then again, no one can rival the legendary Mystery, Inc. gang when it comes to unmasking those darn demons.

SCORE: 3 out of 4 Reels.

Jane's Reel Rating System:

One Reel – Pathetic. Even The Force can’t save it.

Two Reels – Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.

Three Reels – Pleasant. Something to talk about.

Four Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

E-chat with me at jane@reellifewithjane.com - I LOVE to talk about movies! For more about me, check out my writer’s Web site, www.janeboursaw.com.

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