SCOOBY DOO

US, 2002, 86 minutes, Colour.
Freddie Prinz Jr, Sarah Michelle Geller, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Isla Fisher, Rowan Atkinson, Miguel Nunez Jr.
Directed by Rajna Gosnel.

Hollywood film-makers obviously thought they'd hit the jackpot with this remake of an old TV series starring a goofy dog and his crime-busting pals. And they did. The producers have crammed this new film versions full of slapstick comedy - like people falling all over the place and a veritable gale of breaking wind jokes. The children I saw Scooby Doo with had a good laugh at these points but I suspect for many parents it was an ordeal. However, if nothing else, it's still nostalgic viewing for many adults.

Scooby and his friends are trying to solve mysteries at amusement parks. The first is being haunted by the Luna Ghost. They sort this villain out within the first five minutes. The next problem takes up the rest of the film and involves a visit to an elaborate theme park called Spooky Island. Students were being turned into zombie-like creatures. Their energy was being drained from them so the evil genius could absorb their power and control the world (...or something like that). The island is also full of thugs who pursue Scooby and co. all over, including what seems to be a castle haunted by monsters.

There are plenty of special effects to keep it all moving. The human stars do their best at hamming it up to keep in the spirit of the cartoon-like adventure. Freddie Prinze Jr is Fred Jones, the self-absorbed theorist of the group and makes a smug leader. Sarah Michelle Geller resents being Daphne, the damsel in distress and uses her martial arts training to be the prim and glamorous heroine. Linda Cardellini is bespectacled intellectual Velma and Matthew Lillard plays Shaggy, Scooby Doo's dopey sidekick as if born to it.

The whole thing is noisy and raucous and not for gentle souls. It won't become a classic but will keep most youngsters amused for 90 minutes.