Movie Review by Vivienne Messenger
Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Seth Green
Director: Raja Gosnell
Scooby-Doo is back in style with fellow members of Mystery Inc as the film opens with the gang attending the grand opening of their hometown Coolsville’s Coolsonian Criminology Museum that is exhibiting many of the ghosts they have uncovered in past investigations. But the whole publicity stunt backfires when the Pterodactyl Ghost and an Evil Masked Figure wreak havoc on the occasion as Scooby and Shaggy demolish most of the exhibits in the ensuing unsuccessful chase. Someone’s intent on their demise and news reporter Heather Jasper-Howe’s (Alicia Silverstone) abrasive reporting sways the public against them.
With the Scooby gang – Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini and Neil Fanning (voice of Scooby-Doo) – slipping easily, to their credit, into their now familiar roles, SCOOBY-DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED wastes no time launching into this masterful follow-up when the gang are thrown into the middle of another investigation. A mysterious monster outbreak descends on the citizens of Coolsville and with public feeling very much against Mystery Inc the pressure mounts and begins to take its toll on the gang. Fred struggles against the wave of unpopularity by being more macho. Daphne senses this and feels their relationship is under threat as Heather fans the flames of unpopularity. Shaggy and Scooby feel they are too inept as the investigation takes a downturn and Velma is distracted by her attraction to museum curator Patrick Wisely (the talented Seth Green – a former regular on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER).
Can the Scooby gang unmask the evil mastermind fuelling their insecurities and manipulating the public backlash on Mystery Inc?
Well the Scooby gang fanbase won’t be disappointed. All the action and humour are there in vast quantities and delivered with quality by the ensemble cast. Daphne gets to kick more ass and Scooby uses his own ‘gas’ very effectively which will keep the youngsters highly amused. The CGI effects are extremely well done and Raja Gosnell delivers an excellent sequel. He now has two SCOOBY-DOO movies under his belt – will there be another one? Most of the fans will hope so especially with Daphne and Fred (husband and wife duo Freddie Prinze Jr and Sarah Michelle Gellar) becoming more of a couple, Velma having a love interest and Scooby and Shaggy confirming for themselves they’re very much an integral part of the team that works best as a whole.
