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Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

The Mystery Inc. ghostbusters -- Fred (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), and Scooby-Doo -- are being feted at the gala opening of an exhibit devoted to their adventures at the Coolsonian Museum. But a replica of The Pterodactyl Ghost turns out to be the ghost itself, all of the exhibit costumes are stolen, and TV reporter Heather (Alicia Silverstone) is out to ruin the gang's reputation. Each member of the gang feels responsible, and it will take all of their courage, loyalty, and skill to vaporize the ghosts and un-mask the culprit. Is it Old Man Wickles (Peter Boyle), or his former cellmate Jacobo (Tim Blake Nelson)? Or could it be museum curator Patrick (Seth Green)?

Is It Any Good?

2

Only Scooby fans will enjoy this affectionate live-action tribute to the unquenchably popular cartoon series. MONSTERS UNLEASHED abandons the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie's wobbly attempt to appeal both to kids -- with silly scares -- and older teens -- with self-aware irony and double entendres. Instead, this one is a straight-on re-enactment of the cartoon classic, with some of the series' most memorable bad guys uniting in a sort of all-star reunion of a scarefest.

The special effects are fun, especially a silly disco dance number starring Scooby in a huge Afro wig to a cover a Sly Stone song, and the action sequences have energy and humor. But the characters are, well, cartoonish, and for anyone but hard-core fans, who will recognize every reference to each of Scooby's many cartoon incarnations, any charm in seeing them played by actors on the big screen wore off sometime ten minutes into the first one.

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