5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
From the director of 'Snow Dogs', 'Beethoven' and 'The Flintstones', 'Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins' takes you back to when four teenage sleuths (plus one dog detective) first met.
Starring: Frank Welker, Robbie Amell, Kate Melton, Hayley Kiyoko, Nick PalatasFamily | 100% |
Comedy | 79% |
Fantasy | 42% |
Mystery | 1% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian
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 | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Scooby Doo, where are you? Seriously. Where are you? After ruh-rohing his way through two erroneously subversive, tongue-in-cheek misfires -- 2002's Scooby Doo and 2004's Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed -- the indelible talking canine returns in Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins, a more faithful but equally flawed throwback to the fan-favorite cartoon that started it all. Scoob's third outing bypasses the first two films' adult audience and aims for their kiddies, exchanging satire for slapstick and slippery humor for toddler-primed jokes. Sadly, what should make for a perfect children's flick falls short with a stocky script, over-reaching performances, and laughable special effects (even by a grade schooler's standards). Will kids get a kick out of the gang's antics? Probably. Will they remember it a day later? Not if my son's reaction is any indication.
Nick Palatas tries too hard, but his Shaggy is the most endearing character to grace the screen...
The indisputable high point of Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins is Warner's 1080p/VC-1 transfer. Contrast is terribly inconsistent and the picture often looks flimsy, fragile, faded, or a combination of all three (at least when compared to other recent high definition releases), but primaries remain fairly strong throughout and detail is surprisingly sharp. While a moderate veneer of grain permeates the proceedings, it rarely robs faces of their finest textures or interferes with the clarity of background elements. Despite the use of some edge enhancement, object definition isn't plagued by the brittle artificiality exhibited by most direct-to-video transfers. If anything, errant noise spoils the presentation, cluttering shadowy interiors and disrupting the film's many nighttime scenes. It's particularly prevalent in the third act (when the gang invades their principal's home before exploring the school's dark-n-dreary underground ruins) and serves as a persistent distraction. Ah well, at least the image hasn't been slathered with noise reduction. Considering the nature of the production, Scooby Doo fans should thank the low-budget gods. The film could look much, much worse.
Most of Warner's direct-to-video Blu-ray releases have faltered with standard Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks and Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins is no different. Dialogue is clear and intelligible, albeit thin and pinched; LFE output, while pudgy at times, lends suitable presence to the gang's supernatural encounters, as well as some welcome weight to a trio of unexpected explosions; and directionality is fairly competent for a track that could have easily been presented with a stereo mix (trust me, few would have cared, even fewer would have noticed). Unfortunately, the rear speakers are out to lunch, typically indulging in sloppy soundfield antics or bowing out altogether. Interiors tend to sound the same -- an empty gymnasium, a series of underground ruins, and the Mystery Machine being the only notable exceptions -- and ambience is often non-existent. Still, anyone bracing themselves for TV-quality sonics, low budget sonics at that, will shrug their shoulders and accept Scooby Doo's forgettable track for what it is.
In addition to bonus DVD and Digital copies of the film, the Blu-ray edition of Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins includes a few fledgling features, all of which have been designed for the younger members of your household. An exclusive trivia track offers a smattering of rather repetitive facts, an interactive personality test pairs users with their most compatible character, Coolsville High Video Yearbook (4 minutes) provides a brief introduction to Shaggy's new pals, Fun on the Set (6 minutes) is nothing more than a bland behind-the-scenes EPK, a high definition Anne Arbor music video (4 minutes), and a lackluster Gag Reel (6 minutes). Ultimately, too much filler, zero substance, and a grating gee-whiz attitude bring a quick end to this underwhelming supplemental package.
Whereas Warner's theatrical Scooby Doo blunders failed to engage adults, Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins never quite engages its target audience: their children. Its title character is often shoved to the side, its gags sometimes fizzle, and my four-year-old son had solved the mystery long before Shaggy and the gang had gathered their first clue. He enjoyed watching it -- it does feature a talking dog after all -- but he hasn't asked to watch it again, a telling sign if there ever was one. While its Blu-ray release is better, its problematic video transfer and uninvolving Dolby Digital audio track doesn't measure up to better AV presentations on the market. Ultimately, parents can feel safe letting their children sit down with Scooby Doo's harmless, wholesome mystery, but shouldn't expect much more.
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