Scooby-Doo fans will recognize familiar characters Velma, Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, and Daphne in this wild Halloween-themed caper that finds the Mystery Incorporated gang trying to protect Crystal Cove from mean-spirited flying pumpkins (Jackal Lanterns) that apparently have been mutated by toxins. The storyline also features animation representing Bill Nye the Science Guy (who reads his dialogue) and exotic Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, voiced by Cassandra Peterson. It’s all kind of crazy and the plot jumps all over the place, perhaps losing young viewers who will nevertheless enjoy the cartoon-like animation, fast action, silly dialogue (“Does that young man have an owl stuck to his butt?”), and reams of vehicle races where the good guys are trying to escape from marauding pumpkins and other scary characters. Bill Nye airdrops Mystery Machine X to Velma, a contraption that features a button to summon Nye who appears as a hologram to help Velma solve the mystery of the menacing pumpkins that are devouring various characters and turning them into more mean pumpkins. Drones, fire extinguishers, chainsaws, spikes, arrows, booby traps, and more populate the action that relies on sounds of screeching tires, loud booms, and other noises punctuated by snappy background music. The Mystery Machine X also has an ejection seat that Velma uses to propel herself away from danger. Not surprisingly, the town is eventually saved from destruction and the villains are revealed, allowing the gang to head out to a joyful Halloween party filled with bountiful mounds of food, dancing, and other merriment. Halloween fun for the family or kid-only viewing. Aud: E, I, P.
A strong optional purchase to supplement holiday collections.