7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
Welcome to Camp Little Moose - where the counselors are friendly, the activities are endless and the urban legends are intense. In fact, every time someone tells a ghost story, the creepy creature comes to life! But the Mystery Inc. gang doesn't spook that easily, so gather 'round the campfire to roast some bad guys. Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Freddy, Daphne and Velma fish for clues to solve the mysteries of the Woodsman, the Fishman and the Banshee of Black Canyon. And, of course, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are hot on the Case of What's for Dinner! Scare up summertime fun with the Mystery Inc. gang in this hilarious, feature-length movie that gives new meaning to camp spirit!
Starring: Frank Welker, Mindy Cohn, Matthew Lillard, Grey Griffin, Dee Bradley BakerFamily | 100% |
Comedy | 53% |
Fantasy | 19% |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I know there are those who adore all things Scooby Doo, but I have an ongoing love-hate affair with the franchise. I can't get enough of Classic Scoob; the series, reboots and specials, old and new, that make sure mystery is the only one riding shotgun in the Mystery Machine. No malevolent ghosts, no real hellspawn, not a drop of ectoplasm to be found. Just rubbery unmaskings, common criminals and plenty of honest-to-goodness flesh-n-blood fun. I'm not so fond of Supernatural Scoob; the misguided TV follow-ups and spin-offs (like The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo), mishandled live-action theatrical films (Scooby-Doo and Monsters Unleashed), and cheesy direct-to-video releases (The Mystery Begins) that get bogged down with corny spirits and phantasms. Thankfully, Camp Scare is Classic Scoob through and through. It's much too long, stretching a twenty-minute tale into a seventy-three-minute movie, but it's also a satisfying throwback to the Golden Days of Hanna-Barbera and Scooby Doo, Where Are You!
On the case...
Scooby Doo scares up a splashy 1080p/VC-1 encoded presentation that, imperfect as it may be, will satisfy Mystery Inc-ers of all ages. The film's lineart is crisp and clean, color fills are strong and stable, and every last animated detail is sharp enough to draw blood. Likewise, primaries are commanding, black levels are exceedingly inky, and contrast is bright and bold. Just be warned: the film's colors are so vibrant, so rich, that viewers with improperly calibrated displays may finally find it necessary to dive into their video menus and adjust their settings accordingly. Otherwise, there isn't too much cause for concern. Some obvious banding and aliasing haunt the presentation, as they do almost every Warner Bros. Animation Blu-ray release, but several clues point to Camp Scare's source as the culprit. Regardless, neither issue is a debilitating distraction and there aren't any other major problems of note. All in all, this is a fine looking encode that gets the job done, and then some.
Camp Scare unleashes its most blood-curdling scream, albeit by way of a 640kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track. Strong and serviceable, any disappointment Scooby Doo fans have with Warner's standard sonic offering will stem from the fact that it simply isn't a lossless audio mix, not because the Dolby Digital mix suffers from any serious issues. Dialogue is clear, nicely centered and neatly prioritized; the LFE channel is given plenty of opportunities to rumble and roar convincingly; and the rear speakers, though utilized sparingly, grab hold of any and every bone the film throws their way. Dynamics aren't spectacular, but they are decent. The soundfield isn't enveloping per se, but it isn't flat or ungainly either. Music and effects aren't going to leave any jaws on the floor, but the original sound design rarely falters. Honestly, I'm not sure a lossless track would represent a substantial upgrade, at least not with the animated direct-to-video hijinks Spaulding conjures up. Ultimately, Camp Scare's 640kbps mix is more than adequate to the task at hand. Not ideal, mind you; just more than adequate.
Aside from a bonus DVD and Digital Copy of the film, the Blu-ray edition of Camp Scare doesn't offer much supplemental content. "Scooby Doo Camp Stories" (SD, 9 minutes) offers up several spooky campfire tales and "Beware the Beast From Below" (HD, 23 minutes) is a full episode of the new Scooby Doo cartoon series.
Scooby Doo! Camp Scare isn't the greatest Mystery Inc. misadventure to date, but it makes its live-action brethren look plain silly. Now if only Warner Bros. Animation could beef up the story to support a 73-minute runtime or trim it down to a more manageable 25-minutes... that would be a treat. Have no fear though, as a Blu-ray release Camp Scare is a bit better. While the few special features it offers are anything but special, its video presentation is an impressive one (barring WBA's usual pinch of banding and aliasing) and its Dolby Digital audio mix holds its own (despite its lossy demeanor). $20? Seems a tad steep. But on sale? Nab a copy, wait for a rainy day and introduce your kids to the world's finest (and funniest) animated amateur detectives.
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