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Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
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Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is a 2004 film, and a sequel to 2002's Scooby-Doo. It was directed by Raja Gosnell, who also directed the first film, and was written by James Gunn, who also wrote Scooby Doo. It was released on March 26, 2004. The movie returns with the cast of Freddie Prinze, Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard and Neil Fanning as the main characters of Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers and Scooby-Doo, respectively. The new characters were announced with Seth Green (Family Guy/Robot Chicken) as Patrick, Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond) as Old Man Wickles and Alicia Silverstone (Braceface) as Heather Jasper-Howe.
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Encyclopedia
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is a 2004 film, and a sequel to 2002's Scooby-Doo. It was directed by Raja Gosnell, who also directed the first film, and was written by James Gunn, who also wrote Scooby Doo. It was released on March 26, 2004. The movie returns with the cast of Freddie Prinze, Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard and Neil Fanning as the main characters of Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers and Scooby-Doo, respectively. The new characters were announced with Seth Green (Family Guy/Robot Chicken) as Patrick, Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond) as Old Man Wickles and Alicia Silverstone (Braceface) as Heather Jasper-Howe.
Plot
Mystery, Inc. - Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo - are attending the grand opening of the Coolsonian Criminology Museum in Coolsville, the evening's premiere exhibition is the costumes of the many monsters Mystery Inc. has faced over the years. Velma has a crush on the museum's curator Patrick Wisely (played by Seth Green), while news reporter Heather Jasper-Howe (played by Alicia Silverstone) seems to berate Fred and Daphne's relationship. However, the night turns into a crime scene when an Evil Masked Figure (played by Scott McNeil) attacks the museum with the Pterodactyl Ghost (a costume that became alive) and steals the Black Knight Ghost and 10,000 Volt Ghost costumes. Heather insults Mystery Inc's methods through edited video footage on the news, that features Fred saying,"Coolsville can handle this without us". Shaggy and Scooby feel responsible for the problems in the gang and try to be better detectives by dressing in appropriate attire styles and acting smarter, with little results. The gang believe that an old foe is behind the theft, like Jonathan Jacobo (played by Tim Blake Nelson) and Old Man Wickles (played by Peter Boyle). Wickles becomes the primary suspect, since Jacobo apparently died during a prison escape. The gang go to Wickles' mansion where they find an old Celtic book describing how to create carbon-based organic composite predators, or as Velma puts, an instruction manual on how to create monsters. Shaggy and Scooby look for clues, discovering a sticky note inviting Wickles to the Faux Ghost, a nightclub.
The Black Knight Ghost, Wickles' alter ego, shows up and fights Daphne. The gang escapes back to their home. Shaggy and Scooby sneak off to the Faux Ghost where they get caught in the antics of all the criminals who impersonated the monsters. Fred, Daphne and Velma discover that the main ingredient to produce monsters is a substance called Randomonium, which emits a glowing green color when used. Patrick shows up at the house, and Velma dresses up in a tight orange catsuit to try and impress him because she thinks she isn't "hot". The gang go to the museum where they learn that all the other costumes have been stolen. Shaggy and Scooby discovers Patrick threatening a criminal about his museum, after spotting him, they stalk Wickles to the old mining town where they find a secret laboratory. In the lab, Scooby finds a refrigerator and drinks what he mistakes for lemonade. Actually, it is a formula that turns him into a cephalopod-like monster. Shaggy selects another formula from the fridge and gives it to Scooby. He gets some on his hand and licks it. The formula has a different effect on the two, Shaggy sprouts breasts and develops a feminine body and Scooby turns into the Tasmanian Devil. Shaggy takes another formula; this time, it causes him to sprout enormous muscles and it turns Scooby into a canine Albert Einstein. Whilst Shaggy is relishing his new found muscles, Scooby mixes up a formula that will reverse the effects of the previous two. Shaggy protests and causes an explosion that attracts the rest of the gang. Scooby force feeds Shaggy the formula and then drinks some himself. He turns back into a great dane and Shaggy turns back into a skinny teenager. Velma finds a large dark room called the Monster Hive, where an advanced machine that creates monsters from the costumes. However, Shaggy and Scooby press a control panel (That they think is a device for making musical beats, which makes them rap and continue pressing buttons) which makes the machine bring more monsters to life: Miner 49er (C. Ernst Harth), Captain Cutler's Ghost, the Zombie and the Tar Monster. Shaggy and Scooby, finding the control panel, believing it to be a music generator, accidentally brings the costumes to life. The 10,000 Volt Ghost also appears, previously transformed.
Mystery Inc. flees with the control panel while the monsters invade Coolsville. The gang flee to their old high school clubhouse in a swamp where they realize they can reverse the panel's programming to destroy the monsters. Shaggy and Scooby lament their stupidity outside wishing they could be heroes. Captain Cutler appears out of the swamp but is sent flying back in when Fred reverses the Mystery Machine into him. The gang evades the monsters on the way to the Monster Hive, Scooby driving the Mystery Machine. Arriving at the Monster Hive, Fred gets into a jousting match against the Black Knight Ghost using a motorcycle, while Daphne tries to fight the 10,000 Volt Ghost but is electrified back towards Fred on the bottom floor. The two team up, defeating both ghosts by absorbing the 10,000 Volt Ghost's electricity into the Black Knight Ghost's crotch like a conductor. Then we hear a fart sound from Scooby and then see him waving his paw behind him. Velma gives Shaggy and Scooby confidence to be heroes as she reveals that she has always wanted to be free like them. Then a ghost breathes flames at Scooby who fends off the fire with a great deal of farting (as Shaggy holds up his tail). Before Velma finds Patrick who has a shrine to Jonathan Jacobo. He saves her from the pterodactyl but is flown away by it, thus proving that Patrick is innocent. Shaggy and Scooby meet the Cotton Candy Glob but instead of running, they eat him, hoping there is a Soda Glob monster. The gang reunite and proceed into the Monster Hive itself only to walk right into a trap, each captured by the Tar Monster.
Scooby grabs a fire extinguisher and freezes the Tar Monster, beating his way through the monsters to the machine where he places the control panel and pushes the button, transforming the remaining monsters back to their costume forms. The Evil Masked Figure is arrested and unmasked before public and press as Heather Jasper-Howe, who is actually Jonathan Jacobo in disguise. The gang reveal Jacobo survived the prison escape, used the Howe persona to turn the city against them, and framed Wickles as the culprit, all as an act of vengeance. Ned, Heather's cameraman is also arrested for briefly impersonating the Evil Masked Figure. Fred even tries to see if Ned is wearing a mask and pulls his skin. Velma and Patrick become a couple, while some of the old enemies of the gang become their friends including Wickles. The gang dance in the Faux Ghost along with Ruben Studdard to Shining Star, including Jacobo, who is once again attempting to escape with new wings.
Cast
- Freddie Prinze, Jr. as Fred Jones: The leader of Mystery Inc, Fred continues to lead the gang and enjoying his time in fame. He is hurt the most when Coolsville is turned against Mystery Inc. He is dating Daphne, much to the jealously of news reporter Heather Jasper Howe. He believes that talking is for wimps, but after speaking with Daphne, he realizes he is wrong and battles the Black Knight.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne Blake: Daphne is the beautiful member of the group and rather popular with the males of Coolsville. Daphne develops a rivalry with Heather Jasper Howe, who questions Daphne's role in the gang other than to look pretty. Daphne proves everyone wrong by battling the Black Night Ghost in Wickles' mansion. She keeps her amazing fighting skills. She is in a relationship with Fred.
- Linda Cardellini as Velma Dinkley: The smartest member of Mystery Inc, Velma has a crush on Patrick, the curator of the Coolsonian Criminology Museum. Velma panics whenever she runs into him, and with help from Daphne, becomes a new person at first by dressing in a skin-tight catsuit, but later realizes she should just be herself. She uses "jinkies" as her slang word.
- Matthew Lillard as Norville "Shaggy" Rogers: Norville Rogers, nick named Shaggy for short, is a cowardly guy and best friends with Scooby-Doo. Both cause mayhem at the museum during the Pterodactyl Ghost rampage, and hold themselves responsible for the collapsing fame of Mystery Inc. To make amends, Shaggy and Scooby take the mystery of the monsters into their own hands, but later learn from Velma that the gangs loves them for what they really are.
- Neil Fanning as Scooby-Doo: Scooby-Doo is the loyal canine mascot of Mystery Inc. He is a little dense at times and has a speech impediment. His best friend is Shaggy, and the two are quite alike. Scooby and Shaggy feel responsible for the continuous mess ups the gang keep having during their plans to capture monsters, and attempt to make amends by taking the mystery into their own hands.
- Seth Green as Patrick Wisely: The curator of the Coolsonian Criminology Museum. He has a crush on Velma, but is rather timid. He cares deeply for his museum and seems to become distant from Velma as more costumes vanish from the museum. However, he is actually a nice guy who cares deeply for Velma, even saving her from falling to her demise.
- Alicia Silverstone as Heather Jasper-Howe: A hot and sexy news reporter who seems to enjoy criticizing Mystery Inc. She has a rivalry with Daphne. She is always accompanied by her cameraman Ned, but turns out to really be Jacobo, to Ned's disgust, as they had apparently 'cuddled' before.
- Peter Boyle as Jeremiah Wickles: The original portrayer of the Black Knight Ghost, Mystery Inc's first case. He is accused of being the new portrayer of the Pterodactyl Ghost, but he just wants to be at peace, hoping of opening a mining leisure park in Coolsville's old mining factory.
- Tim Blake Nelson as Doctor Jonathan Jacobo: The main villain and original portrayer of the Pterodactyl Ghost. He stole millions of dollars to fund his research into bringing monsters to life, but failed. He apparently died during a prison escape, falling into the ocean.
- Ruben Studdard as Himself (cameo): The winner of American Idol, Ruben Studdard appears at the end of the film singing his own version of the song, "Shining Star".
Monsters
The film featured a number of monsters from the classic Scooby Doo cartoons. The monsters were either portrayed in costumes with CGI effects or completely made from CGI animation. Some of the monsters look entirely different from their appearances in the cartoons, although this was done for realism. Also, some of the characters who posed as the monsters in the movie are not the same characters from the series. The monsters in the film were:
- The Pterodactyl Ghost (The Scooby-Doo Show), "Hang in There, Scooby Doo", a ghostly pterodactyl who steals the other monster costumes for their transformations. He is the first monster created by the Evil Masked Figure (aka Johnathan Jocobo (who, in the cartoon, was the original Pterodactyl Ghost)) as it was his original monster costume. The supposed origin of this Pterodactyl ghost is very different from the original ghost from The Scooby-Doo Show, which was merely a pawn in a music pirating operation.
- The Black Knight Ghost (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), "What a Night For a Knight", the first monster Mystery Inc. faced. A haunted suit of armor, the Black Knight Ghost acts as a lieutenant to the Evil Masked Figure, capable of controlling his sword without holding it. He and the 10,000 Volt Ghost and beaten by Fred and Daphne when they use jumper cables to send the Volt Ghost's energy through his body(Fred attched it to, as said by the Black Knight right in the "round tables").
- The 10,000 Volt Ghost (The Scooby-Doo Show), "Whatta Shocking Ghost", a ghost made of electrical energy. He is the most dangerous and most powerful of the monsters. He is defeated when Fred and Daphne use jumper cables to channel his energy through the Black Knight Ghost, causing them both to explode. Unlike the original 10,000 Volt Ghost, who was a person wearing a suit which made it look like it was made out of electricity, this version is actually made out of pure electrical energy.
- The Skeleton Men (The Scooby-Doo Show), "Creepy Tangle in the Bermuda Triangle", a pair of one-eyed skeletons. The two are a comical duo, capable of reforming their bodies into different shapes.
- Captain Cutler's Ghost (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), "A Clue For Scooby-Doo", the ghost of a deep sea scubadiver, who has a glowing helmet and attacks with a harpoon launcher.
- Miner 49er (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), "Mine Your Own Business", a gargantuan miner who can breathe fire and wields a pickaxe.
- The Zombie (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), "Which Witch Is Which?", a green-skinned, boggle-eyed zombie who spews slime over innocent victims.
- The Tar Monster (The Scooby-Doo Show), "The Tar Monster", a massive bulk of tar with one eye. A dim-witted but formidable opponent who can ensnare multiple victims in his endless form. Unlike the original tar monster, he has a pupil and can manage to speak english.
- The Cotton Candy Glob (The New Scooby Doo Movies),is loosely based on the "green globs" from the "The Haunted Candy Factory". In the movie, it is a large pink monster made from cotton candy that is eaten by Shaggy and Scooby-Doo.
All the monster costumes seen in the film were very similar to their cartoon adaptions, many practically identical. Each monster costume came with a plaque that described the monster's appearance in the show, complete with original artwork of the monsters.
Reception
It was rated PG for some scary action, rude humor and language. The film made its free-TV premiere on Nickelodeon before it aired on ABC Family.
On March 24, 2004 the film grossed $29,438,331
(over 3,312 theaters, $8,888 average) on its opening weekend. It grossed domestically $84,216,833, and earned $181,466,833 worldwide, lower than the $275,650,700 worldwide Scooby-Doo grossed two years earlier. It also ranked #1 at the box office. It is the 28th most successful film of 2004.
The critical response was mostly negative, gaining a 21% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 34 on Metacritic, indicating "Generally negative reviews". It also earned a Razzie for "Worst Rip-Off or Sequel".
Soundtrack
A soundtrack was released on March 23, 2004.
- "Don't Wanna Think About You" by Simple Plan
- "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals
- "Boom Shack-A-Lak" by Apache Indian
- "We Wanna Thank You (The Things You Do)" by Big Brovaz (UK theme song - bonus track)
- "The Rockafeller Skank" by Fatboy Slim
- "Wooly Bully" by Bad Manners
- "The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem
- "Shining Star" by Ruben Studdard
- "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger
- "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited
- "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry
- "Here We Go" by Bowling for Soup
- "Love Shack" by B-52's
- "Strippin' in Honey" by Snoop Dog
- "Friends Forever" by Puffy AmiYumi
- "Circle Backwards" by Mark Provart
Trivia
- According to the novelization, Fred and Daphne are engaged.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar and Seth Green once worked together on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy Summers and Oz. Geller, as well as a few of the other actors portraying the main characters would guest star on Green's animated series, Robot Chicken.
- This live-action film was entirely shot in Vancouver,British Columbia and Winnipeg,Manitoba, Canada.
Prequel
Production on the direct-to-DVD prequel, Scooby-Doo: In The Beginning, began filming on August 4, 2008 in Vancouver.
See also
External links
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