The year was 2002. Sure, we only had dial-up internet, but we also had the cinematic live-action masterpiece that was Scooby-Doo. And for 18 years now, it has lived rent-free in my brain.
Despite its measly 30% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Scooby-Doo is legitimately a flawless film. No, this isn’t some funny story that’s meant to garner some hate-clicks, this is a cold, hard fact.
Scooby-Doo fucking SLAPS.
The Casting:
First and foremost, we need to talk about the casting. Seriously, how much money did they throw at this movie because the casting is IMPECCABLE. We’ve got Sarah Michelle Gellar as the most iconic Daphne we’ve ever seen, paired with her IRL husband and certified daddy Freddie Prinze Jr as Fred. Oh, and of course they had none other than LINDA FUCKING CARDELLINI as Velma.
And let’s not forget that Isla Fischer and Mr Bean himself Rowan Atkinson are also in this movie. Honestly, iconic. No complaints from me.
But the real king of this film is Shaggy, played by Matthew Lillard, who is perhaps the only person on the planet who loved that character more than me. I mean it when I say, we both weeped when he didn’t get the call to reprise his role in Scoob!
The Narrative:
The storyline of this film is *exactly* what we needed from a live-action Scooby-Doo back in 2002 and honestly, it’s exactly what I needed last night when I re-watched it.
It is described as a live-action, computer-animated supernatural adventure horror comedy film. This film literally ticks every box.
Want to watch a horror? Scooby-Doo. Want to laugh? Scooby-Doo. Want to cry? Scooby-Doo. Want to *feel* something? Scooby-Doo, baby.
We see the Mystery Incorporated gang breakup, we cry a little, they fight, but then, when the world needs them most, they reunite and save the day from the evil Scrappy-Doo.
Daphne shows us that she’s a kickass female who doesn’t need rescuing, Fred learns to stop taking all of the credit, and Velma, sweet angel Velma, finally gets a nickname and feels like one of the gang.
This movie made me laugh, this movie made me cry. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I cannot stress enough how much I truly believe it deserved the Best Picture Oscar.
The Spooky Island:
I need to talk about the island for a second. This movie came out when I was just four years old, and from that moment on, I have been OBSESSED with Spooky Island. Honestly, it was robbed of a theme park.
Sure, we’ve got the Scooby-Doo ride at Movie World, but Spooky Island deserved a theme park of its own. I would pay good money to sip on tiki-themed cocktails and ride spooky rollercoasters that are *maybe* haunted by real ghosts.
The Soundtrack:
Scooby-Doo‘s soundtrack deserves a Grammy. This album is the perfect amalgamation of hip hop and pop punk and I still listen to it to this day.
We’ve got Shaggy, Outkast, Solange Knowles, Busta Rhymes, The Baha Men, Kylie Minogue and Simple Plan.
I dare you to look me in the eyes and tell me that’s not the absolute perfect soundtrack for a 2002 movie. I dare you.
Daphne’s Wardrobe:
And last, but certainly not least: Daphne’s wardrobe, which lives rent-free in both my mind and closet.
I could write a whole article on why I think Sarah Michelle Gellar-era Daphne is my style icon (and I probably will), but hoo boy, we just need to take a minute to appreciate it.
She absolutely slayed back in the early 00s and honestly, I’d still kill for a pair of those pink latex knee-high boots.
Every single outfit in this film belongs in my wardrobe, and if Warner Brothers is reading this and would like to send it to me, I would not say no.
Her love of pink outfits and high heel boots doesn’t stop her from being a total badass in this movie. If I’m honest, that’s exactly what I needed to see as a young child (which probably explains why I dressed up as Daphne for every party for like three years). I’m not going to get deep and emotional while discussing Daphne’s wardrobe but fuck, to see a woman being tough and powerful without having to sacrifice her love of conventionally “girly” things absolutely blew my mind as a kid.
Scooby-Doo (2002) is now streaming on Netflix, and it is my professional journalistic opinion that you should drop what you’re doing and go watch it right now.
