Zoinks! Like, Scooby-Doo 2 is just as funny as the original. Now, if you're one of the hundreds of critics who hated the first movie, that isn't much of a recommendation. I myself expected it to be a greater test of agonizing endurance than that seen in The Passion of The Christ. But then, whaddya know? I was pleasantly surprised. Jinkies!
One of the strengths of Monsters Unleashed, like the first film, is that it's enormously faithful to the cartoon. These days, too many TV shows, particularly kids' shows, lose something in their translation to the big screen. The Inspector Gadget cartoon was Shakespeare compared to the live-action film. But the Scooby-Doo movies do an excellent job of paying respect to the clichéd conventions of the cartoon before poking fun at them. We're given all the familiar characters with their idiosyncrasies, the iconic psychedelic van, and in this film (as an added treat), several classic monsters from the TV series.
The plot has Scooby and the gang once again squaring off against a masked villain. But this time, their adversary is using a machine to turn the costumes of the gang's vanquished foes into real monsters. This allows our heroes to battle not one, but eight cool creatures. Granted, they all reek of mediocre CGI, as does Scooby himself, but because the effects are so consistently lousy, the eye grows accustomed to them.
The cast does an all-around good job bringing their one-dimensional characters to life. Freddie Prinze Jr., portraying Fred, is probably the least impressive, but as long as the studios insist on putting him in movies, it's probably best to keep him playing cartoon characters that require little acting skill. In contrast, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy is a standout. The way he manages to channel Casey Kasem, the original voice behind Shaggy, is just spooky.
If the film has a major fault, it's that it tries to pound a sentimental "be yourself" message into your head to the point that your eyes will hurt from excessive rolling. But kids won't notice and adults will probably get a kick out of a few funny lines. And a scene where Scooby and Shaggy sample body-altering potions reaches Looney Tunes levels of hilarity.
A lot of kid flicks torture parents, but this one's pretty safe. So face your fears and see it. You'll be pleasantly surprised, and earn yourself a Scooby snack.