Greetings, and welcome back to October Horror Fest! I return to you all today well rested (for the first time this month), energized, and ready to write about one of the FUNNIEST movies I think I have ever seen. We’ve disrupted our fates, fought zombies, and fought out the secrets behind the curtain so far this Horror Fest, but tonight, we venture into one of the classics. Without further ado, sit back, relax, turn off the lights, grab some Candy and Popcorn, and let’s review…
Scooby-Doo (2002)
We start our tale RIGHT in the action, as the gang is solving the case of the “Luna Ghost”. Daphne just so happens to be caught in the clutches of a ghost, as Velma and Fred try to save her (by utilizing the most insane, on-brand plan ever). We meet up with our boys, Scooby and Shaggy, as the ghost causes them to BOOK it. (I won’t be able to write down every single little character choice and interaction, but let me just say now, they are AMAZING. Every character is brilliantly cast, and are SO funny.) Shaggy, played by William Afton (Matthew Lillard), tries his best to CRASH into the ghost, allowing for Mystery Inc’s plan to actually somehow work.
The gang exits the Toy Factory they were in, having solved the mystery and unmasking the ghost. The news shows up and (of course) starts to talk to Fred, who takes the credit for coming up with the plan. As we head outside and stand in front of the Mystery Machine (by the way, the MM looks INCREDIBLE in live action, and I actually saw in real life the car that they used. Yes, I’m not joking, I have a picture with the real life Mystery Machine), the gang begins to get into a heated argument. The deep-seeded friction between the gang ends up with Daphne, Velma, and Fred all QUITTING, as Scooby and Shaggy go on alone.
We cut to TWO YEARS LATER, as Scooby and Shaggy get a mysterious letter from one “Emile Mondavarious” (very VERY unsuspicious name), inviting them to solve a mystery at the also completely unsuspicious “Spooky Island”, a tropical resort theme park. We cut to the airport, where we meet up with the rest of the gang! They all got the same letter, but tensions are still high, especially between Daphne and Velma. Shaggy and Scooby arrive, and Scooby IMMEDIATELY gets into shenanigans. Although the tension is still present, the group all board the plane FULLY of groovy college kids. Everything is all good, until a girl enters the plane. Shaggy is IMMEDIATELY smitten with her, and she reveals her name to be Mary Jane (face it, tiger, shaggy just hit the jackpot). The two of them are VERY cute, and she even has a Scooby Snack!
The group + MJ finally arrive at the island, and meet up with Mondavarious (WHO IS PLAYED BY MR. BEAN BTW). He reveals that he believes that the guests have fallen under a demonic spell, as the college kids, after spending time at the island and getting ready to leave, are dead serious. They have no emotion, follow what each other do, and have INSANE strength. Shaggy and Scooby immediately see this as a chance for Mystery Inc. to return back to form, but Daphne, Velma, and Fred all try to get the credit for finding clues and solving the mystery themselves. The gang all split up across the island, trying their best to find clues. Velma attends an “interesting” show that looks like a ritualistic performance, as the leader of the show, N’Goo Tuana, says that the island was once ruled by ancient demons. These demons are now mad at the partiers on the island, as the amusement park is despised by them. Fred is on his own trying to find clues at the same time, as we cut to Shaggy and MJ, who are partying together on the island. Throughout this time, though, Shaggy is distancing himself from Scooby.
Scooby is led into the forest, away from Shaggy, with the promise of hamburgers. However, he is attacked by a MONSTER! Scooby, of course, is able to get away through the power of wacky hijinks, and gets back to Shaggy. Mary Jane takes this as her leave, and Daphne appears, telling Scooby and Shaggy to follow her. Shortly before this, Daphne was told by a man on the island (who was trying to sacrifice a chicken to demons by the way, this movie is weird but amazing), to NOT go up to the castle on the island. Daphne of course takes this as a sign to go up there, and grabs the boys. Scooby, after being given a Scooby Snack, is all ready to go into the abandoned ride in the castle, and Shaggy follows along. While in there, the gang encounters Fred and Velma. They all decide to split up and look for clues, still with the tension between Daphne, Velma, and Fred. Velma thinks she is always picked last, as Daphne feels she is always the damsel. Fred and Velma, after narrowly escaping the ride turning back on, go FLYING into the control room of the ride. In there, they discover an educational tape about brainwashing, and something to educate very un-human beings about human culture. (All while this is happening, some of the funniest dialogue I have ever heard is going on. PLEASE WATCH THIS MOVIE.)
In her own attempts to find clues, Daphne finds a very hellraiser-like pyramid-shaped artifact seemingly called the “Daemon Ritus”. In another absolutely hilarious scene, the gang are able to escape from the castle, as they are pursued by the actors on the island, who are seemingly possessed! The gang makes it back to the resort hotel, and begins trying to decipher the clues they obtained. We even see more cooperation between Daphne, Velma, and Fred! As Velma begins to decipher the Daemon Ritus, she talks to one of the college kids, who actually causes our girl Velma to smile! While talking to him, Velma flashes back to the glory days with the gang. However, there is one BIG part that doesn’t add up. THAT’S RIGHT, SCRAPPY DOO! He is in the Mystery Machine with the gang, being his normal, annoying, self-righteous self. Scrappy-Dappy-Doo actually gets KICKED OUT of the van by the gang, and vows revenge!
However, before Velma can continue having fun, the gang are ambushed by the alien monsters from earlier! Things go off the rails fast, as Velma, Fred, and Mondavarious are all kidnapped. They are hit with a green gas from the mouths of the monsters, subduing them. Mary Jane, Shaggy, Scooby, and Daphne all hide out together, and try their best to save their friends. Daphne actually takes charge, vowing to try to save them, dragging the anxious Shaggy along. However, when the kidnapped members of the gang (and Mondavarious) are taken into a cave that seemingly closes itself up with some sort of magic power, Mary Jane calls the coast guard. However, these boys aren’t much help, as they are possessed as well. Daphne, MJ, Scooby, and Shaggy all fall asleep on the beach, as we wake up the next day. There are absolutely 0 remnants of the attack on the hotel from last night, and it seems like all of the college kids on the island are being overly “groovy”. Daphne walks up to one of them, and his eyes flash green. Yes, EVERY SINGLE ISLAND GOER is possessed. Shaggy and Scooby actually encounter Fred, who is acting like nothing happened. However, our boy is also possessed, as Shaggy and Scooby book it to avoid the hoard of the possessed islandgoers. DAPHNE IS CAPTURED THOUGH!!!
Our boys are able to escape on ATVs, as they pick up Mary Jane. However, when she is hit by a branch while holding onto Shaggy on the ATV, Scooby looks over and sees her distorted face. SHE’S POSSESSED! Scooby tries to tell Shaggy what he saw, but Shaggy is having none of it, causing our boys to fight. They are at the entrance to the cave, but before they can save the kidnapped members of the gang, a giant pit opens up under Scooby, causing him to fall into the inner depths. In a moment of self realization and development for Shaggy, he dives into the pit after Scooby, vowing to save his best pal. While down in the depths of the cave, Shaggy finds a tub of protoplasm (somebody call the Ghostbusters), with the spirits of all those possessed swirling around inside as ghostly heads. He is able to get the souls of Velma, Fred, and Daphne out of the pit, and send them to their bodies. After some hilarious and whacky body swapping antics (like I said, guys, please watch this movie it’s so funny in so many ways), the gang realizes that the monsters explode in the sunlight! Heading back to the same local who was sacrificing a chicken in the beginning of the movie, he reveals to the gang that the monsters will conquer and rule the world for the next 10,000 years if a pure soul is sacrificed to the Daemon Ritus. However, the prophecy never says the soul has to be HUMAN. Mondavarious was after Scooby the whole time!!!
Knowing the whole world is on the line, Fred, Velma, and Daphne finally put their differences aside, and join together as the Mystery Inc. Gang once more. Putting their hands together, the gang vows to save Scooby! The gang “sucessfully” infiltrate the ritual taking place in the caves, as Mondavarious tricks Scooby into becoming a sacrifice. Right before Scooby is sacrificed, Shaggy appears, giving a touching heart to heart to his best pal. They prepare to run, before the Daemon Ritus activates, and TAKES SCOOBY’S SOUL! Mondavarious begins taking all of the souls of those possessed, until Shaggy takes it upon himself. He jumps onto Mondavarious, causing Scooby’s ghostly head to enjoy flying around, before finally ending up in his own body. However, when the gang gets to the defeated Mondavarious, they realize it’s a man in a mask. Classic. However, going against the Scooby Doo norm, it isn’t a MAN in a mask. The gang realizes that Mondavarious has been a ROBOT, PILOTED BY NONE OTHER THAN SCRAPPY-DOO!!!
Using the souls collected through the Daemon Ritus, Scrappy turns into a huge monster, determined on destroying the gang. Up above the cave, Daphne has her moment, using her black-belt skills to cause one of the possessed actors to fall onto a vent, causing sunlight to come flooding into the cave! Using a disco ball (this is a Scooby-Doo movie), sunlight reflects all over the cave, causing most of the possessed souls to go barrelling out of their bodies, and for the monsters to be defeated. In this hilarious and amazing ending, the OG music FINALLY plays, as the gang all works together. After the other souls are freed, Scrappy is the only one who remains. However, Shaggy, using the crane that was holding the Daemon Ritus, crashes the crane RIGHT INTO the Daemon Ritus, which was held on Scrappy’s chest. He reverts from his transformation, and all of the souls go back to the bodies of the college kids! Fred and Daphne share a kiss, Velma and “Unnamed Nice College Kid” from earlier share an equally nice moment, and Shaggy and Scooby meet up, hugging each other along with Mary Jane. The REAL Mondavarious comes out from his imprisonment, thanking the gang for all they have done.
The news shows up on the island, and (of course) begins to ask Fred all the questions once again. However, instead of taking the credit, Fred says that Velma should be the one explaining how they solved the mystery. She does, and we see Scrappy taken away in a police helicopter. In a “Ghostbusters” like ending scene, Fred says that the gang is back together, and ready to take on whatever mystery lies ahead… (of course, in our credits, we get a scene of Shaggy and Scooby gouging on hot peppers)
I LOVED this one guys. As a Scooby-Doo fan, this movie entertained me the entire time. The good outweighs all the bad, especially when the movie is so unintentionally AND intentionally funny. I hope you all enjoyed this one! And always remember, no case is too big for Mystery Inc…
