Rating: **
Review Date: 10/2/23
Cast: Frank Welker, Grey Griffin, B.J. Ward, Scott Innes
"Jeepers, it's the Creeper!"
The Scooby Gang is presumably in their late 20's in this story, when they visit a friend who is in college to check out his video game based on Mystery Inc's past cases. In a nod to "Tron" (1982), the computer lab has built a device that can digitize real world items and send them into cyberspace, as well as bring things out of cyberspace into the real world. Unfortunately, a computer virus manages to escape into the real world, and the attempts to send it back result in the Scooby Gang being digitally transported into the Scooby-Doo video game. For whatever contrived reasons, the only way for them to get out of the computer is to survive all ten levels of the video game. In the final level, they meet up with their digital counterparts, who are based on the original cartoon character designs. Not surprisingly, Shaggy and Scooby only differ in their color palette.
It's definitely a zany adventure, but it tries way too hard to be modern with all of its ridiculous computer situations and lingo. The complete disrespect for science, physics, and logic is appalling, which really disrupts any suspension of disbelief. Magnets, for instance, don't lose their power by simply putting them in your pocket. Seeing adult versions of the gang was a surprise, which I hadn't seen since "Zombie Island" (1998). I definitely prefer their original models and wardrobe, but I appreciated Daphne having white eyes for a change. The voice acting is good, and the show marks Grey Griffin's debut as Daphne. Unfortunately, B.J. Ward's performance as Velma is a little flat and indistinct, which doesn't capture Velma's personality very well. Unless we're just dealing with a much more seasoned and mature Velma, which is quite possible.
The animation is great and has a wonderfully nostalgic old-school Hanna-Barbera look to it. (William Hanna died shortly before its release) The music is surprisingly bold and dramatic, and the B-52's sing the Scooby-Doo theme song, which is totally random and out of place. The enemy virus is unusual in that it's a real entity rather than someone in a mask, but someone obviously created it. Overall, I found the movie equally entertaining and annoying. It felt like the creators were out of touch with the audience (and reality), and it tonally misses the mark. Maybe younger viewers won't be as critical of its shortcomings.