Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy (2014)

Good movie but grossly overrated

A lot of fun.

A different way of telling a story

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

On one hand it was boring....But on the other hand, Transylvania, Pennsylvania is sort of a classic Scooby location, at least in spirit, so there is that attempt to appeal to the old Scooby Fans.And the towns people were a great source of humor, especially their exchanges with Velma's family, so again, there is that working out for it.And the plot twisted enough to seem like a Classic Scooby cartoon.the downside is, few of the jokes really stuck and the songs were so-so. The humor just wasn't there to save it and with Scooby, the movies can't be sold on plot alone, people are fans because they are kid-scary and funny at the same time.Frankencreepy just wasn't really funny.

Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy (2014) ** (out of 4) Incredibly disappointing feature has Velma inheriting her great-great-uncles castle in Transylvania, which has a curse on it. As soon as the gang heads off to see it, the Mystery Machine is blown to pieces by a strange phantom wearing a mask. Once in Transylvania it's clear that someone wants revenge on Velma and the gang.After the slightly disappointing WRESTLEMANIAC MYSTERY, this latest feature is without question one of the worst. That's not to say that the film isn't worth viewing for fans of the series but there's no question that the film offers very little in regards to entertainment. I will say that there are a few good ideas scattered around but sadly none of them add up to very much and in the end I couldn't help but keep looking at my watch wondering when the film was going to be over.The film tries to do a few new things but I just didn't find anything of them overly interesting. One of the new things was to have the characters all appear in a different form. Shaggy and Scooby turned into brave creatures who don't like to eat. Fred was a whining cry-baby throughout the picture. Daphne turned into an obese woman with awful hair. Then there's Velma who turned into a sexy boss. You'd think some of these changes would be fun but I thought the screenplay was so bland that this stuff was more annoying than anything else. In fact, I'd say this is the absolute worse I've ever seen the Fred character.The biggest sin committed by this movie is the fact that it's simply deadly boring. I don't think I'm going to call this the worst thing to deal with Scooby-Doo but there's no question that there's no energy, no passion and there's just nothing working with this thing. The film adds some footage from the original television show and there's a nice twist at the very end but it's really too bad these weren't used for a better purpose. I won't spoil the ending but it was a clever little idea that should have been used in a much better picture.

As a huge Scooby Doo fan since forever, Scooby Doo! Frankencreepy as well as one of the most unique Scooby Doo films, it is one of the most entertaining and the darkest since Zombie Island. It's not quite one of the best like Zombie Island, Witch's Ghost, Goblin King and Big Top Scooby Doo but it is a long way from the bottom(for me it's Monster of Mexico), ranking the film it does compare favourably. Unfortunately, as well as being the unique, entertaining and dark it is probably the most controversial Scooby Doo film with the allegations against it of fat/body shaming in a negative way once Daphne is cursed. While it is understandable as to why people would think that, to me the film is unfairly criticised for it and the allegations, some may be offended and others will say that it is not that damaging(personally it's the latter), can easily be argued against.Nobody says anything really mean to her in the film, in fact they especially Fred are accepting to how she looks and love her the way she is(in a way that didn't come across as false), and Daphne at least acknowledges that it's a problem(it would have been much more offensive I feel if she was in denial about it). Sure she does look bigger than a size 8 but I took that as mirroring how it was part of Daphne's imagination and that she saw herself as bigger than she actually was especially when compared to usual(which is common in people who like Daphne constantly worry about how they look). One Amazon reviewer says that the film does address the idea of the line between being comfortable with your weight and being in denial that it's unhealthy being blurred, and I certainly agree with that. Weight is a very sensitive issue and along with disabilities shows people at their most prejudicial, and the film did their best handling it. Again this paragraph was not intended to discredit anybody's opinion, it's just my take.Putting all that aside there is not much at all that is wrong with Scooby Doo! Frankencreepy. From personal opinion it did feel rushed in places, with a constantly moving back and forth bounce pace, the opening was a tad jumbled, and the final solution has too much going on with the feeling of more than one ending rolled into one, a similar problem I had with Stage Fright. But the animation is excellent with colours that are colourful and rich in atmosphere, loved the mix of classic Scooby Doo and the What's New Scooby Doo? style. The camera shots are interesting and inventive, unlike any technique you find in any other Scooby Doo film, though they occasionally interrupt the flow. The music is both atmospheric and groovy and the dialogue crackles with energy with the endearingly goofy jokes having that classic Scooby Doo vibe while keeping things current. The story always engages and is very eventful with a real attempt to not make things too convoluted and not have loose ends, it also never feels predictable or obvious with the revelations being a complete surprise to me.What was particularly good about Scooby Doo! Frankencreepy was its merging of classic Scooby Doo and contemporary Scooby Doo. Anybody who sees this film will really enjoy the classic Gothic horror elements it has; There is the Frankenstein influence, but there are the spooky castles, a hunch-backed assistant, a creepy house-keeper and a ghost in a very characteristic Scooby Doo fashion. There is some violence, more than usual for Scooby Doo, with explosions, fires, chases, Velma with a chainsaw and axe, close calls and fights but not to the extent where it's scary or sadistic. The characters drive the film really well and shine with their quirks and individualities, their back-stories intriguing. Their personalities are fresh but not once seeming too out of character. Velma is the most interesting and likable she has been in quite some time and not annoying like she was in Mask of the Blue Falcon(which is still one of the better Scooby films) and could be in Mystery Incorporated. Scooby and Shaggy are still as lovable as they ever were and their friendship still charms. The villains have a real creepiness especially the one who is eerily reminiscent of Old Iron Face from The Scooby Doo Show.The voice acting is terrific. No big names, just veteran voice actors(Frank Welker being the longest-serving, having voiced Fred since the very beginning 45 years ago) filling their roles perfectly, since Matthew Lillard has been voicing Shaggy he has been a worthy replacement for Casey Kasem(if not quite as good, Kasem WAS Shaggy). Scooby Doo fans will also enjoy the additions on the DVD of the Scooby Doo Where Are You? episodes A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts and To Switch a Witch, two of the better episodes of that series. All in all, a very entertaining Scooby Doo film with plenty of spooky fun to be had. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

| used to love the animated Scooby Doo movies that get released to video each Halloween season. There have been some gems such as Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, Scooby Doo and the Alien invaders. Even the 1980s Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School was fun.In recent years they have become more and more disappointing and this one tops the list. Daphne gets "cursed" to be a size 8 and the body images they depict are beyond terrible. The average woman is a size 12 to 14 yet this carton makes 8 look like you're the Proverbial Operatic Fat Lady. Did the writers and animators have no actual grasp of what a woman's size 8 actually is? The one shining ray of hope in the whole thing is how the only one truly bothered by it is Daphne herself, the man who loves her does not notice or care. Some have complained that this just perpetuates the idea that a man's approval is necessary for a woman's happiness but I disagree. I think it shows that those that truly love you don't mind how you look.But the general depiction of "Size 8" is kind of offensive in and of itself. If they had said size twenty it would have been more believable.I know it was mostly Daphne's imagination and was to show her own unhealthy body image but I think it could have been handled much better.