Scooby Doo 2 - Monsters Unleashed Details

The cast and director of 2002's disappointing cartoon adaptation reunite for this infinitely superior sequel. Sensibly focusing on Mystery Inc's most popular duo — Shaggy and Scooby — the film follows the newly disgraced team as they try to unmask a villain whose monster machine is re-creating all their classic foes. Although some of the effects are ropey, the decision to up the excitement levels with multiple spooky creatures is a prudent one. The enjoyable visual overload makes it easier to ignore the insubstantial plot, particularly when much of the colourful action concerns the dithering hilarity of Matthew Lillard's excellent Shaggy. Turning Sarah Michelle Gellar's drippy Daphne into a Buffy-style butt-kicker is an obvious audience-pleaser too, while scene-stealer Seth Green adds strong support as a bumbling museum curator with a potentially darker side. Overall the movie is more faithful to Hanna-Barbera's animated series than its predecessor, even if the CGI Scooby still doesn't quite work.