 Please note that this review does contain spoilers!
So I really loved this film! I'm super glad I decided to just pick up a DVD copy while I was at the store today, and cancel the pre-order which I think I had mentioned in one of the comment sections that I was originally going to wait for. I think this is the best Scooby film we've gotten in years, and was a breath of fresh air after Curse of the 13th Ghost and Return to Zombie Island. The mystery felt very cinematic to me, and I enjoyed the inclusion of The Scarecrow much more than I thought I would. Even though he wasn't a main villain, he provided a great setup for introducing the living pumpkins. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed that so much of the movie was the pumpkins pursuing the gang. I think it could have been done in a very boring way, but the constant presence of the pumpkins made it creepier! I loved all the old references to previous Scooby and Hanna-Barbera material as well. Between a Frankenstein Jr. float, a kid dressed as Blue Falcon, a Phyllis Diller mention, a Fred Flintstone costume, RED HERRING(!), and the Ghost of the Three Stooges, it really felt like a lot of love was put into this film. Am I the only one who would have liked to see the ghosts of the Three Stooges mystery though? I feel like that would have been really cool haha. I'm not sure if this was just my Scooby-oriented brain creating references that weren't there, but did those two vampire statues when Shaggy and Scooby went in the corn maze look like Dracula from "A Halloween Hassle at Dracula's Castle" to anyone else? It sure did to me. We also got a reference to Fred's middle name, Herman, which is the first time it's been mentioned 15 years since Aloha, Scooby-Doo! from 2005! One thing I really did not like in this film was the use of 60s bubblegum pop music during the chase scenes. I know they're trying to beckon back to Where Are You with that, and they did it in Return to Zombie Island too, but it just seemed out of place to me and I hope it doesn't happen again. The one other big thing in this film is Daphne's personality is much more quirky and reminiscent of her Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! personality. I thought it was interesting Daphne wanted to become Elvira too, as Elvira kinda seems more gothy than "in-fashion" to me...so this version of Daphne wants to be a goth I guess? I'm here for it. Speaking of Elvira, I thought her and Bill Nye fit in really well. They did not seem forced at all as guest stars, and I thought both of them definitely had roles to play in this film. I also was shocked that the sheriff was the villain! That was such a cool twist and I loved it! Overall, this film was an amazing Halloween movie that I will definitely be watching every year from now on around this time of year. This film is like SDMI and BCSD had a baby, and it's amazing. It's got a much darker tone that more recent films/series, but it also is pretty silly in some parts. Was this better than Goblin King? I love Goblin King so much, so it would be very hard to top that film. I think this comes close, but it's good in a different way from Goblin King. Goblin King is this very idealistic, magical film to me whereas this one is darker but also very cinematic in quality. I would highly recommend this film! To conclude this review, I have to end it the same way the film did...so Elvira's hair is just a monkey? Hahaha
38 Comments
The cop
9/23/2020 08:13:54 am
I disagree I think the music is good not Halloweeny but good nonetheless
Amber noel
9/23/2020 09:46:22 am
Yeah I think fits well with the opening because it consists of shaggy and scooby messing about and eating candy will their are people screaming explosions and sirens going on outside so I'm guessing that shaggy put the song on as comfort music and as for the chase song (which is the same song used in the opening which I'm guessing they did not have time to record another one because of the current situation) but when scooby doo where are you had chase song in season two they I didn't fit the scene either so yeah I dissagree 9/23/2020 10:51:10 am
I totally understand/respect how someone could like it, and I'm glad you guys did! I just didn't enjoy it for some reason.
CollectorScooby
9/23/2020 08:50:15 am
I would have posted this on Twitter but didn’t want a spoiler to be so public....but did you also notice that Buck the mechanic from Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders makes a cameo in the beginning? He and his red tow truck from the movie can be seen towing the Mystery Machine away after they unmask Scarecrow! 9/23/2020 03:54:00 pm
I just looked again, and yeah, it definitely could be him! It went by so fast though I couldn't fully tell if it was...
Becker
9/23/2020 08:56:49 am
You didn't talk about Velma's personality and the Mystery Machine debacle! The former could especially be a red flag for people lol. 9/23/2020 10:56:40 am
You're right! I totally forgot to mention that. Velma's personality was very cold, hard scientific still, and she even has a "Mind Palace" (in her mind) that she goes in to think about science. But it is toned down where she's not SO obnoxious like she was in the prior two films.
Amber noel
9/23/2020 10:02:02 am
Are you saying that the movie is dark because of the implication that the gang are mudering people who were turned in to pumpkins be the pumpkin leader/king? 9/23/2020 10:57:44 am
No, though you just made the movie darker by thinking about it that way haha. 9/23/2020 10:58:17 am
It's just got a darker, spookier tone to me and less lighthearted than say, Return to Zombie Island.
Amber noel
9/23/2020 11:18:19 am
Yeah I agree the only thing I found creepy in return to zombie island was the gang dressing up as zombies but thats it
Fred’s Ascot
9/23/2020 10:59:25 am
Loved your review! But with all respect I absolutely detest Goblin King. The disappointment I felt while watching the movie was real and I’m traumatized by it lol. On the other hand Happy Halloween was an amazing movie and instantly became one of my favorites. I hope they continue this tone again. I feel they combined the best of SDMI and Be Cool and made this epic movie. 9/23/2020 12:13:50 pm
Thanks Fred's Ascot! I absolutely respect that someone wouldn't enjoy Goblin King, as it is a very unique film and unlike any other Scooby production. I hope they continue this tone too!
Samuel Kirkwood
9/23/2020 04:52:39 pm
I enjoyed the movie and it certainly is the best movie since Shaggy's showdown in my eyes, but overall it still pales in comparison to a number of others, mostly due to the movie mainly being a car chase with very little hunting for clues, it just seemed lazy and repetitive for the main part. Loved the references and the villains, but it could have been SO MUCH BETTER in my eyes. Also didn't really understand the random token black guy and his daughter, like no offence but were they really needed? 9/23/2020 08:03:45 pm
The argument about most of the movie being a car chase is a fair argument, even though it didn't bother me. I agree it's the best movie in a while. Sorry you didn't enjoy it as much as you could have though!
The cop
9/23/2020 06:23:43 pm
During the mind palace scene someone is dressed like a doctor that looks like the villian in space ape at the cape
Lamont
9/23/2020 11:07:37 pm
I'm glad to read this good review! Now I can't wait to watch it! I think Be Cool Scooby Doo's Daphne made an impression on people, that's why I think Daphne is starting to become more quirky. 9/24/2020 08:22:55 am
I hope the quirky version of Daphne stays, tbh! And yes! They are stated to be in Crystal Cove!
John Locke
9/24/2020 02:41:13 am
Of the last 3 films I think I liked Return to Zombie Island the most...this one just seemed.... a mess, daphne was BCSD, Velma was mean and insulted shaggy/scooby, didn't respect that Fred liked his mystery machine, and the cameo's felt shoehorned in. We may have finally hit the point where the scooby train is running out of gas again. 9/24/2020 08:31:30 am
Wow, that's an interesting opinion! And I'm not really sure about the crystals/the sheriff being the villain. I'm wondering if the sheriff/scarecrow will appear again in a future film.
Colin
9/24/2020 09:43:35 am
Did it bother anyone else that the pumpkins turned out to have drones inside them? Wouldn't they have noticed that when they smashed hundreds of them into pieces throughout the whole film? I felt let down by that revalation at the end. They should have explained it by saying they got low level fear gas exposure, but they went out of their way to rule out fear gas (although, they could have been exposed before Nye did the air test - it didn't seem like they specified when he did the test, but if it was while they were already on the run, it would have been pointless to test it by that point).
John Locke
9/24/2020 03:21:54 pm
Yes that bugged the crap out of me, I mean when they initially did it I was expecting a feargas twist or a magic solution, though I will admit I unabashedly love that scarecrow helped them out (Love enemy mine situations) but when it turned out they were just shoved in a box I went.... "really??"
Amber noel
9/24/2020 10:52:18 am
To be fair if they did notice the drone it kind of revial the mystery too quickly. I guess they could have worked around it some how but I think they didn't have time to because of the current situation I know that might not be the case but giving that the current situation has affected some movies it could have been the case also I think that warner brothers would have noticed that plot hole because its kind of obvious so yeah I think the virus had something to do with this
Becker
9/24/2020 12:22:52 pm
That's not true. These movies aren't made so quickly. A Scooby script nowadays is written like at least 2 years before the movie coming out. We know the cast records the dialogue at least 1 & 1/2 years before release date. They were in post-production during the pandemic, meaning the drone stuff was already the way that it was. You cannot change stuff that late in production. The virus has nothing to do with it. It affects movies in different ways that are not related to a drone plot hole in a Scooby film.
Amber noel
9/24/2020 01:05:08 pm
Ok so I guessing that they couldn't think of a way around it without doing real monsters because I can't think of another reason also I know that making an animated movie or movie in general is a long process thats why they only release 2(1if they release a scooby doo movie in cinemas) a year
Colin
9/24/2020 03:46:30 pm
The way around the plot hole that no characters noticed the drones in the pumpkins is, as I mentioned in my first post, saying they were all exposed to low level amounts of fear gas. But for whatever reason they decided not to go that route. (Maybe they thought fear gas was too obvious, even if it was only low dosage exposure.)
Amber noel
9/24/2020 04:03:52 pm
Yeah the plot hole is very noticable but despite that it didn't stop me from liking this movie though.
Shadowscooby
9/24/2020 05:01:46 pm
I’ve been hearing a lot of good reviews for this movie and I myself can’t wait to watch it. What makes me excited to watch this movie is that maxwells atoms creator of The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy was working on it. His show had a Halloween special called Billy and Mandys Jacked Up Halloween and this movie looks very similar to that special. Looking forward to watching this movie. 9/25/2020 10:16:39 am
I haven't seen Billy and Mandy so I can't comment on that piece, but I loved Maxwell Atom's writing for this film!
Stephen Cribb
9/26/2020 02:16:54 am
Great review and glad you enjoyed it. 9/26/2020 11:32:35 am
Absolutely agreed it was like a "lite" SDMI and BCSD. Elements from each were used, but it wasn't 100% like either one of them...kind of like a blend of both of them. I was glad to see the tone of Camp Scare kind of return for this film. I also wasn't bothered by the drones not being noticed. I'm really hoping Maxwell Atoms writes for Scooby again too; he did a great job. I didn't catch either of those references in the bottom of those two paragraphs, that's cool!
Stephen Cribb
9/26/2020 12:27:28 pm
If you pull some images from Elvira film and Predator you can do picture side by side comparisons for trivia in the future.
Scooby dooby Doo
10/2/2020 03:52:24 pm
I just watch it, I found Daphne too over the top, Velma was kinda mean but at least she regretted it, the mystery machine exploding again.... hmm. it was a different movie for sure, too short but overall I liked it, I just hope they tone down Daphne for the next one.
Sdf
10/9/2020 06:16:54 pm
I really enjoyed it. The last film i really enjoyed was shaggy's showdown 3,5 years ago. I think it is the best movie of this mini trilogy. We had a really cool villian {The Sheriff was a great plot twist btw}, some interesting character development, great atmosphere and some nice cameos. 10/10/2020 04:11:26 pm
Absolutely agreed with all of this! Btw, idk if you saw my email SDF, but we have a question on our chronology timeline if you wouldn't mind taking a look and answering. https://scoobysnax1.weebly.com/blog/scooby-doo-continuity-order#259850701668672944 Leave a Reply. |
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