Cinema Crazed

DVD:

2006

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Kids/Family Adventure Comedy Supernatural

Running Time: 1:24

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 6/30/08

Special Features:
None

SHAGGY & SCOOBY-DOO GET A CLUE! VOLUME TWO (DVD)

You have to give them credit for wanting to do something different with "Get a Clue!" the tenth and (allegedly) final variation of the Hanna Barbera (now a property of WB) character? Honest? Don't build my hopes up, people. And though I remain a pure non-fan of the property, I think "Get a
Clue!" has the right idea, thus making it a more watchable installment and re-invention. Sans the stoner propaganda, of course. There is different animation for once with a style that looks completely based off of a web comic or something. The unique style with black dotted eyes a la "Flintstones" and blocky character models that help add a sense of individuality. It honestly looks like the Scooby Doo artists were sent to another better animated series, and original animators were sent to the usual Scooby Doo hokum. There are also different voices at the helm of Shaggy and Scooby, too. One of my favorite voice actors Scott Menville does an interesting job as the new (and final?) voice of Shaggy keeping some of Casey Kasem's trademark screech, with his own ability to add the high strung personality element he's well known for. Frank Welker is back yet again as Scooby, and he's as good as always, as well as Casey Kasem playing Uncle Albert, and Jeff Bennett as Phibes.

There's also an attempt at a consistent series arc with villain Phineas Phibes who provides continuous difficulty for the duo that happen upon his island where he's unleashing hordes of monsters and ghosts for the two (with guest spots from the other Mystery Machine gang along with the usual voice cast from past Doo adventures, to boot), as Shaggy and Scooby find themselves tussling with man made menaces, and calamities built on their own incompetence.

Plus, there's also redundancy (Mystery of the Missing Mystery Solvers), and eighty four minutes of a new twist on the Scooby Doo Franchise that still isn't very good, but--hey--at least it's an attempt at something unique. It really won't matter much to the kids, but "Get a Clue!" really only manages four episodes per volume, with a full screen format, but the picture is fantastic, as is the sound. The unfortunate caveat though happens to be the clear lack of extras. There aren't even any trailers. "Get a Clue!" takes a stab at the classic Hanna Barbera with the good old fashioned sound effects and visits with Scooby and Shaggy now living in an upscale resort, still eating non-stop and not gaining a pound, paired now with a new robot sidekick. You see, now they're more like secret agents where they're called on assignments by their uncle, and the madcap mayhem begins! "Get a Clue!" isn't bad. It's a fresh take on a horrible character that tries its best to re-invent the wheel before the final nail in the coffin.

So: There are no extras, no commentary, no wide screen, and only four episodes, but you know what? This is very unlike a Scooby-Doo series, and that's probably why I didn't mind sitting through it. I liked it.

Long time voice of Shaggy, Casey Kasem, plays Uncle Albert, assumedly out of respect, since he was reportedly snubbed from the show due to the network's desire to add a younger sounding voice to Shaggy.

Have something to say about this review? Pop on over to Cinema-Lunatics
and speak your mind in our Answer Back! Forums >>