Parents' Guide to Scooby-Doo: Camp Scare

Movie NR 2010 75 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

Joly Herman By Joly Herman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 6+

Spooky stories come to life in camp-set Scooby movie.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 6+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 7+

Based on 11 parent reviews

age 7+

Based on 8 kid reviews

What's the Story?

Fred (voiced by Frank Welker) takes the gang for a trip down memory lane when he brings them to Camp Little Moose for a visit. But when they arrive, they find that camp has been cancelled because of the appearance of an ax-wielding maniac called the Woodsman. His timing couldn't be worse -- or better -- since there's nothing like a mystery to fire up the Scooby gang's sense of adventure. As they try to unravel the mystery of the Woodsman, the gang runs into other scary monsters who are frightening campers away. But leave it to Scooby (Frank Welker) and Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) to have some good times, even in the thick of a spookfest.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 11 ):
Kids say ( 8 ):

Ghost stories are definitely spookier when told around the campfire on a summer night; CAMP SCARE succeeds in bringing that "campy" feeling to life, but it's fairly scary when the monsters appear. There's enough of a plot to keep even the most amateur sleuths guessing whodunnit, though the youngest viewers might get a serious jolt when looking into the eyes of the Spectre of Shadow or the green-faced Woodsman.

It's worth noting that one thing Camp Scare has -- that old-school Scooby stories didn't -- is the flirtatious winking and competing that some of the gang engages in. Do kids really need to see Fred go gaga over a hot babe in a skimpy swimsuit? Probably not. Stick to the ghouls and the Scooby Snax, people. Jinkies.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what the movie is saying about playing outside without electronic/tech gadgets. Do you think kids get enough fresh air and exercise? How can you set healthy media limits?

  • Is this movie more or less scary than other Scooby movies? Why?

  • The movie features a huge feast where Shaggy and Scooby gorge themselves on all kinds of food. Afterward, there's a food fight. What do you think about wasting food? Is it a big deal?

Movie Details

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