I love Zombie Island very much, one of the best Scooby Doo movies easily along with Witch's Ghost. The animation was very good(one of the best-looking Scooby films), and so was the very 90s soundtrack, Terror Time's extremely catchy. The voice talents, while not as great as the ones in the two films I mentioned, are extremely good. The standouts are Billy West and Adrienne Barbeau.(with a great french-sounding accent), I also really liked Tara Charendoff as Lena, so much better than she was in the Little Mermaid sequel, where her character was very annoying. I also really liked the sophisticated and very atmospheric plot, which was refreshingly different also, about a pirate's ghost haunting a Louisianna plantation, the scenes with the zombies are genuinely unsettling(at times too much so perhaps). I never predicted the ending, I really didn't, no other ending in a Scooby Doo has been more creepy or had as much staying power. I especially loved the scenes with Scooby chasing the cats(the peppers gags were even funnier), they were funny and captures the spirit of classic Scooby very well. My only real criticism was that very young children will find it very frightening, as my sister did when she was 7, so much so she refused to see it for ages. All in all, a very good film, that is up there with Witch's Ghost, Alien Invaders and Goblin King. 9/10 Bethany Cox
112 Reviews
Absolutely brilliant, Zombie Island is both an excellent classic Scooby Doo film and a thematically rich horror story
andrewroy-043163 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I watched Zombie Island when I was young (maybe 7) and was so scared that I haven't watched it again until now. I knew what the basic outcome was and that it had a generally darker and more thoughtful tone, but I was still blown away by the thematic depth of the film, unparalleled in the Scooby Doo universe. The biggest theme that jumped out at me during the film due to the way it was highlighted in the ending explanation was colonialism (or violence against natives more generally). The natives are settled peacefully on an island, when pirates decide that they have to take the island by force. The head honcho renames the island after himself, of course, and the villagers who were kicked out call out to their cat gods for help. When the cat gods give them immortality so long as they take human lifeblood, the cycle of taking humans at the harvest moon begins. The inversion of history is extremely interesting as it creates ambiguity in who is good and evil in the situation - yes, the pirates attacked and destroyed what the settlers had built, but now the settlers are luring and killing humans every year while the zombie pirates try to keep the people alive. It does have plenty of classic horror/mystery elements, with hints at what is really going on on the island but lots of uncertainty, particularly given the expectations of Scooby Doo.
It is just that blending of smart horror/mystery ideas with classic Scooby Doo elements that make Zombie Island an all-time great. Mysteries in general are at the very heart of the film - is there any real mystery or ghost in the world? I love the opening, as it's both great character work and hints at the way the film intends to explore mysteries later on. If you're new to the characters, their positions as they've separated tell you all you need to know about their tropes without being ham-fisted, and if you've been watching for a long time it's really cool to see the way their favorite elements of being in the gang manifest in their jobs. Scooby and Shaggy are simply going from job to job, eating whatever they can, but with Fred, Daphne, and Velma, each has a role distinct with their personality but both Daphne and Fred's show and Velma's bookstore remark upon commercialization. Yes, they loved mystery solving for what it was, but eventually they moved on and used it as a means to make money. Velma loves books, of course, but in our short snippet at her store we also see the way she has a meticulously curated and organized collection but little traffic. Daphne has a bit of a character revamp in this film to be more assertive, which is surprising but works well. We even see her driving the Mystery Machine! She still loves being the center of attention, and she is the member of the gang most determined to find a real, spiritual mystery. Fred is still his macho, do-it-all self, but does cede some leadership to Daphne. There's a nice nod when Fred considers putting on his ascot but decides against it, and just before then when Shaggy opens his suitcase of identical green shirts and tells Scooby he needs to dress for dinner, I thought that was absolutely hilarious. On the mystery side of things, the gang finally finds a real mystery (despite all of Velma and Fred's guesses at the logical explanations that could exist, which were both funny and subtle ways to emphasize just how many masked mysteries they've solved) but don't have proof. My only question is why voodoo dolls of the cat women were made.
All in all, a fantastically well made movie that stands right alongside Camp Scare as head and shoulders above all other Scooby Doo films. I'll watch Return to Zombie Island sometime soon, though my expectations are quite low based on everything I've heard.
Great way to introduce to a new generation
mattid-8398116 August 2020
I loved this movie when I was a kid and just rewatched it on Netflix as an adult and still found it entertaining. There was a good balance between paying homages to the original show and adding exciting and new twists for a different generation of kids. I didn't have a problem with the voice cast like some people on here. It's unrealistic to think that the whole OG cast will reprise their roles. True fans of Scooby-Doo will appreciate this movie
The Best Scooby Movie ever.
cbarley4 July 2005
Out of all the Scooby movies that have been made over the years (including the two live action ones), Zombie Island is by far the best; the characters are older, the plot line is much more sophisticated than previous attempts, is even a little scary, and by far LOOKS the best (even though it was a direct-to-video movie, it has the quality of a major motion picture, a big plus). Although Scooby and Shaggy haven't changed much, Fred, Velma, and especially Daphne were revamped - Velma is still calculating, but suspicious to a fault; Fred takes shotgun to Daphne as the leader, and "is in denial," about supernatural things; Daphne is no longer just the pretty face of the group, she's also intelligent, brave, completely independent, and the undisputed leader. Had Hanna Barbera and Warner Bros. actually kept up with this kind of material, Scooby would still be alive and kicking more so than it is; but, alas, they copped out for the "bad guy wearing a mask" routine, reverting the characters back to their original archetypes. Maybe someday someone will recreate the show using the characters and basic events, but for now, Zombie Island remains the absolute pinnacle of the Scooby World.
Great cartoon to bring back the Scooby gang!
jimmyplm14 October 2000
I really liked this movie. It was nice to see the Scooby gang in a modern setting--a real shock to see them dressed in 90's fashion. I loved the new spin on the Daphne/Fred relationship. The sexual tension between those two has always been thick enough to cut with a knife! I am also glad that Scrappy did not appear in this movie, but I would have liked to learn what became of him.
This movie is kind of spooky, so I would not recommend it for really small children. It might scare them. This is great for adult and teen fans of the Scooby Doo show. A+
This movie is kind of spooky, so I would not recommend it for really small children. It might scare them. This is great for adult and teen fans of the Scooby Doo show. A+
Night of the Living Dead
DarthBill7 April 2004
The gang is back, with better animation and a different wardrobe for Fred & Daphne. Like the live action film, the gang reunites after a few years apart, but not because of a clash of egos. Daphne is now a talk show host, Fred is her producer and personal camera man, Velma runs a mystery book store and Shaggy and Scooby work at an airport checking luggage. But they miss each other and reunite on Daphne's birthday to set out on a cross country journey looking for "real" ghosts, only to find more "nut jobs in Halloween costumes".
Then they head to the Bayou where they crash at an old house run by a creepy woman. Something fishy is clearly going on, but who's behind it all? Is it the creepy old woman who owns the house, her daughter who has a thing for Fred, the rugged gardener who Daphne seems to have a thing for, the fisherman, the ferry man, or something much, much worse? Before you can say "Scooby snack!" the gang is up to their neck in trouble battling zombies and cat people! Will they survive?
By far the best of the new Scooby Doo animated films on video, this one explores certain themes that kind of developed but were never explored in the old show - like is there something going on between Fred & Daphne, and what would the gang do with themselves if they were apart. It also explores what happens when the gang finally encounters the real deal and not a guy in a mask, so it's basically "Night of the Living Dead" with the Mystery Inc gang.
Frank Welker, voice of Fred, is the only member of the original series on hand. Don Messick, voice of Scooby, died before this one was put into the works, and for some reason Casey Kasem wasn't available as Shaggy. Shaggy is voiced instead by Billy West (, Geek-er from "Geek-er", Fry from "Futurama") and he is a capable Shaggy. Scooby is voiced perfectly by Scott Innes. Daphne is voiced with girlish perkiness by the late Mary Kay Bergman (Really horrible what happened to her; I hope she's found peace in the next world) and BJ Ward (Scarlet from the GI Joe cartoons) is the geeky Velma. Cam Clarke, the voice of Leonardo from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and the new voice of He-Man, plays the gardener, and Mark Hamill does another creepy vocal characterization.
Don't miss Fred trying to yank the head off a zombie grumbling "It's the gardener... it's the fisherman... it's the ferryman!"
Then they head to the Bayou where they crash at an old house run by a creepy woman. Something fishy is clearly going on, but who's behind it all? Is it the creepy old woman who owns the house, her daughter who has a thing for Fred, the rugged gardener who Daphne seems to have a thing for, the fisherman, the ferry man, or something much, much worse? Before you can say "Scooby snack!" the gang is up to their neck in trouble battling zombies and cat people! Will they survive?
By far the best of the new Scooby Doo animated films on video, this one explores certain themes that kind of developed but were never explored in the old show - like is there something going on between Fred & Daphne, and what would the gang do with themselves if they were apart. It also explores what happens when the gang finally encounters the real deal and not a guy in a mask, so it's basically "Night of the Living Dead" with the Mystery Inc gang.
Frank Welker, voice of Fred, is the only member of the original series on hand. Don Messick, voice of Scooby, died before this one was put into the works, and for some reason Casey Kasem wasn't available as Shaggy. Shaggy is voiced instead by Billy West (, Geek-er from "Geek-er", Fry from "Futurama") and he is a capable Shaggy. Scooby is voiced perfectly by Scott Innes. Daphne is voiced with girlish perkiness by the late Mary Kay Bergman (Really horrible what happened to her; I hope she's found peace in the next world) and BJ Ward (Scarlet from the GI Joe cartoons) is the geeky Velma. Cam Clarke, the voice of Leonardo from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and the new voice of He-Man, plays the gardener, and Mark Hamill does another creepy vocal characterization.
Don't miss Fred trying to yank the head off a zombie grumbling "It's the gardener... it's the fisherman... it's the ferryman!"
Scobby in the `90s
TheMan30515 July 2002
This is the second scooby film of the `90s (if I'm not mistaken) and it is a little better then the previous films. Mostly because there is no Scrappy-Doo. The formula is very different from the other Scobby formula because it has real ghost and zombies. The other different thing is the voices because only Frank Welker returns to reprise his role. The others aren't there and Don Messek died in 1997. Nevertheless it's a good movie.
The best out of all the franchise.
julcltr31 March 2009
With me being in my mid-teens, I feel a little bit silly watching the Scooby-Doo videos, but I have to admit, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island was really the best out of all the franchise. Sure, it may be a little different, but when it comes to this one, I'm not kidding here. Its scariness does live up to the original show in my opinion. It is so creepy, you'll want to watch it again and again. Also, the ending just gives me the right to say "Surprise!" I'm definitely not going to tell you what it is though, 'cause it might get me kicked off of here. Anyway, if you like Scooby-Doo with just a touch of scariness, you'll love this. Oh, and I also recommend Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King if this is not enough.
Nostaglic At It's Best
meganphipps6 August 2020
I have been feeling so nostaglic this month and so I figured I would watch one of my favourite Scooby Doo movies from my childhood that I adored and it still lives up to my expections even since this movie was from 1998.
I definitley recommend this movie if your an adult and you loved Scooby Doo as a kid or if you have childern and you wanted to introduce them to it. Such amazing animation and will always be one of my top favourites of the Scooby Doo movies.
#teamvelma4eva
matthewssilverhammer29 May 2020
The Best of the Scooby Doo VHS Films
WasiReviews5 November 2020
This movie went to a lot more darker places than any other Scooby Doo films trust me I've watched nearly all of them. I would liken the realism and horror in this film to the 2010 show Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated, which took the best elements of the campy comedy and romance in the Scooby Doo franchise while adding it's own unique realism and continuous chronological story.
This film is only 90-100 minutes long and despite that we have the same realism and the well thought-out story in the 1000+ minute long 2010 show. Check out Scooby Doo on Zombie Island it scared me as a kid and it's still entertaining as an adult.
This film is only 90-100 minutes long and despite that we have the same realism and the well thought-out story in the 1000+ minute long 2010 show. Check out Scooby Doo on Zombie Island it scared me as a kid and it's still entertaining as an adult.
Probably the Best of the Scooby-Doo Movies
MisterSisterFister13 November 2018
This one is my kids' favorite. This was my favorite as a kid, too, mainly because it was a mind trip to finally see some real monsters in a Scooby-Doo show. Also, I think the Mystery gang get along the least in this movie. They just aren't as nice or patient with each other like in the other ones. I like it better when they all get along.
In All Honesty...
aka-4531629 January 2020
I primarily steered clear of this movie due to thinking that it would be terrible, and because it looked too scary for my taste. Especially after seeing a trailer that pretty much seemed to give the whole rundown of it all.
However, I found myself interested in giving this movie a shot based on its popularity and the positive comments I've been reading. So, when I discovered its availability on Netflix, I couldn't resist giving it a shot.
I'm happy to say that it isn't as terrible as I expected. But, it isn't what I'd like to call the best Scooby-Doo installment either.
Among the things I enjoyed about this movie was its animation. I loved how the animators were obviously making great use of their budget and were really extending themselves, giving the film an impressive look for a direct-to-video release. I especially enjoyed the animation used with the settings, and the light that would cast itself down to bring the zombies to life.
The music composed by Steve Bramson was another one of the film's most compelling elements. It truly amazed me how Bramson was able to make his music so cinematic for a direct-to-video movie, and the song "It's Terror Time Again" was enjoyable enough to upload to your Music App.
Despite this, though, there were things about the film I was FAR from fond of.
For instance, I found myself having mixed opinions on the voice acting and characters.
I will definitely say that I enjoyed the developments of Fred, Daphne, and Velma throughout this film, and Shaggy and Scooby really put a smile on my face. For his first reprisal of Fred from the classic installments of the franchise, Frank Welker did a phenomenal job at proving that he owns the role. Plus, the film's supporting players sounded like they were having a great time portraying their characters.
But, I wasn't exactly fond of the performances of Scott Innes, Billy West, Mary Kay Bergman, and B. J. Ward as Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, and Velma in this film. Innes, Bergman, and Ward's portrayals sounded awfully whiny. On one hand, I grew up with Bergman's work as Daphne in "Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders" and Innes's and Ward's work in that film and "Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase", so I think it must've had something to do with the voice direction. The same can pretty much be said about Welker's performance as Fred, as unlike other installments, his performance sounded whiny too despite proving he owns the role.
Frankly, I absolutely LOATHED Billy West's portrayal of Shaggy. I thought that he certainly TRIED his best, but every time I heard Shaggy's voice I couldn't help but note that he had this extremely annoying squeak that was far from tolerable, which was enough to affect his comedic-timings too.
Snakebite Scruggs turned out to be a pointless character in the long run, if I may say. He was interesting, and Mark Hamill did a great job portraying him. But, when it turned out that he had little to do with the overall mystery, it became apparent his only purpose was to curse the heavens about tourists every time Scooby and Shaggy got in his way.
Finally, the direction by Jim Stenstrum, the screenplay by Glenn Leopold, and the story by Leopold and Davis Doi, weren't exactly what I'd call a delicious Scooby snack.
As a comedy, the film seemed to offer little in the ways of humor. Whatever jokes that the film even had seemed to fall flat, and they lacked the Hanna-Barbera touch. The movie DID have a mystery that helped keep things interesting, but at the end of the day...making the monsters real seemed to translate the film into a horror movie more than a mystery, taking away all the fun and making it less than family-friendly. It didn't help that it had a rather dark and intense premise that would give children nightmares, and despite the attempts to make things interesting, the film's narrative wasn't able to grapple any intrigue out of me. In whatever case, everything felt like the filmmakers were throwing darts at a target but were constantly unable to make a bullseye due to surprisingly flat storytelling.
In the end, "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" isn't what I believe to be the greatest Scooby-Doo film ever made. Everything appeared to be in place, and the team behind it was obviously quite ambitious and willing to take risks. But yet, the purpose and meaning behind the film seemed to be lost, and it did little to capture the spirit of the franchise. It's a decent film, not a great one.
However, I found myself interested in giving this movie a shot based on its popularity and the positive comments I've been reading. So, when I discovered its availability on Netflix, I couldn't resist giving it a shot.
I'm happy to say that it isn't as terrible as I expected. But, it isn't what I'd like to call the best Scooby-Doo installment either.
Among the things I enjoyed about this movie was its animation. I loved how the animators were obviously making great use of their budget and were really extending themselves, giving the film an impressive look for a direct-to-video release. I especially enjoyed the animation used with the settings, and the light that would cast itself down to bring the zombies to life.
The music composed by Steve Bramson was another one of the film's most compelling elements. It truly amazed me how Bramson was able to make his music so cinematic for a direct-to-video movie, and the song "It's Terror Time Again" was enjoyable enough to upload to your Music App.
Despite this, though, there were things about the film I was FAR from fond of.
For instance, I found myself having mixed opinions on the voice acting and characters.
I will definitely say that I enjoyed the developments of Fred, Daphne, and Velma throughout this film, and Shaggy and Scooby really put a smile on my face. For his first reprisal of Fred from the classic installments of the franchise, Frank Welker did a phenomenal job at proving that he owns the role. Plus, the film's supporting players sounded like they were having a great time portraying their characters.
But, I wasn't exactly fond of the performances of Scott Innes, Billy West, Mary Kay Bergman, and B. J. Ward as Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, and Velma in this film. Innes, Bergman, and Ward's portrayals sounded awfully whiny. On one hand, I grew up with Bergman's work as Daphne in "Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders" and Innes's and Ward's work in that film and "Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase", so I think it must've had something to do with the voice direction. The same can pretty much be said about Welker's performance as Fred, as unlike other installments, his performance sounded whiny too despite proving he owns the role.
Frankly, I absolutely LOATHED Billy West's portrayal of Shaggy. I thought that he certainly TRIED his best, but every time I heard Shaggy's voice I couldn't help but note that he had this extremely annoying squeak that was far from tolerable, which was enough to affect his comedic-timings too.
Snakebite Scruggs turned out to be a pointless character in the long run, if I may say. He was interesting, and Mark Hamill did a great job portraying him. But, when it turned out that he had little to do with the overall mystery, it became apparent his only purpose was to curse the heavens about tourists every time Scooby and Shaggy got in his way.
Finally, the direction by Jim Stenstrum, the screenplay by Glenn Leopold, and the story by Leopold and Davis Doi, weren't exactly what I'd call a delicious Scooby snack.
As a comedy, the film seemed to offer little in the ways of humor. Whatever jokes that the film even had seemed to fall flat, and they lacked the Hanna-Barbera touch. The movie DID have a mystery that helped keep things interesting, but at the end of the day...making the monsters real seemed to translate the film into a horror movie more than a mystery, taking away all the fun and making it less than family-friendly. It didn't help that it had a rather dark and intense premise that would give children nightmares, and despite the attempts to make things interesting, the film's narrative wasn't able to grapple any intrigue out of me. In whatever case, everything felt like the filmmakers were throwing darts at a target but were constantly unable to make a bullseye due to surprisingly flat storytelling.
In the end, "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" isn't what I believe to be the greatest Scooby-Doo film ever made. Everything appeared to be in place, and the team behind it was obviously quite ambitious and willing to take risks. But yet, the purpose and meaning behind the film seemed to be lost, and it did little to capture the spirit of the franchise. It's a decent film, not a great one.
They're Back !
aesgaard4129 March 2001
I was and still am a big fan of the original Scooby Doo series before it was ruined by that horrible screaming mutt. This movie is a throw back to those early episodes with great atmosphere, a believable plot and exquisite animation. Updated and renewed for the 90s, Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, Velma and our favorite Great Dane rejoin to look for real ghosts, but instead of going to Amityville or Burkittsville, they head for New Orleans where the Cajun stereotypes are stretched and the ghosts are real. This is a great movie for the toddlers at Halloween or even the whole family at any time of the year. Followed by a sequel that slips a little in the likeability category, this movie is a must for anyone's cartoon video collection.
Best Movie Of All Time
mariaraluca-195901 November 2020
Enjoyable film with more knowing wit than the series
bob the moo9 March 2003
Tired of chasing old men in masks, Daphne and Fred go off to start a successful TV series, Velma opens a mystery bookstore and Scooby and Shaggy works as customs officers at an airport. However when Fred decides that the next episode of their show should be about real ghosts, the gang get back together to travel across the deep south. After many `men in masks' they arrive in New Orleans to be invited to a house haunted by a dead pirates and an island full of zombies. However the gang discover that everything is not quite as it's seems on the island.
The nineties film version of the animated Scooby Doo are quite different from the original series. Instead of being cheesy, they are knowingly cheesy and contain a lot more jokes aimed at themselves for adults. While it is not quite as adult orientated as the Simpsons for example, it is still pretty amusing. Daphne and Fred both being slightly jealous of the other having opposite-sex interest is one example of this that worked quite well.
Also the film's go harder for scares from their ghosts, I'm not saying it's scary but it has a lot more action than the series! The zombie have real menace and are not just comedy characters. The voice work is good considering it is not the original cast by and large. Mark Hamil is probably the biggest name on the list and does OK but all the cast do well even if some of them are really doing impressions instead of performances!
Overall this will please kids but will also be enjoyable for adults who do enjoy Scooby. The wit is a little more than just pratfalls and there are some nice self-depreciating touches that are funny. The zombies and all are quite effective and the film is enjoyable. Don't expect art it does what it does and does it quite well.
The nineties film version of the animated Scooby Doo are quite different from the original series. Instead of being cheesy, they are knowingly cheesy and contain a lot more jokes aimed at themselves for adults. While it is not quite as adult orientated as the Simpsons for example, it is still pretty amusing. Daphne and Fred both being slightly jealous of the other having opposite-sex interest is one example of this that worked quite well.
Also the film's go harder for scares from their ghosts, I'm not saying it's scary but it has a lot more action than the series! The zombie have real menace and are not just comedy characters. The voice work is good considering it is not the original cast by and large. Mark Hamil is probably the biggest name on the list and does OK but all the cast do well even if some of them are really doing impressions instead of performances!
Overall this will please kids but will also be enjoyable for adults who do enjoy Scooby. The wit is a little more than just pratfalls and there are some nice self-depreciating touches that are funny. The zombies and all are quite effective and the film is enjoyable. Don't expect art it does what it does and does it quite well.
The Best Scooby-Doo movie
Rectangular_businessman31 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Personally I think that this was the best of all the Scooby-Doo movies, being very entertaining to watch.
I liked the way in which this movie kept several elements from the original "Scooby-Doo" series, showing them from a modern perspective, which served to make this something enjoyable for kids and adults as well.
The "darker" treatment that the plot from this movie received (At least in comparison with all the previous Scooby-Doo animations) served to make this film much more interesting, giving an unexpected twist to the usual formula of the cartoon. The result was more than satisfying in my opinion.
The animation was decent, showing a huge improvement in comparison with all the previous Scooby-Doo movies, but conserving the aesthetic of the original series (Specially in what concerns to the characters designs and the dark sceneries) "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" is a highly amusing film for the whole family, which proofs that modern versions of old cartoons can be done right, maintaining the essence of the original- In that aspect, this is much better than the live-action movies.
I liked the way in which this movie kept several elements from the original "Scooby-Doo" series, showing them from a modern perspective, which served to make this something enjoyable for kids and adults as well.
The "darker" treatment that the plot from this movie received (At least in comparison with all the previous Scooby-Doo animations) served to make this film much more interesting, giving an unexpected twist to the usual formula of the cartoon. The result was more than satisfying in my opinion.
The animation was decent, showing a huge improvement in comparison with all the previous Scooby-Doo movies, but conserving the aesthetic of the original series (Specially in what concerns to the characters designs and the dark sceneries) "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" is a highly amusing film for the whole family, which proofs that modern versions of old cartoons can be done right, maintaining the essence of the original- In that aspect, this is much better than the live-action movies.
Dog? Where
CuriosityKilledShawn31 October 2000
Warning: Spoilers
This was a really cool update of the classic Scooby Doo formula. The gang have new clothes, new jobs and new voices. The movie is self-aware but not to the point that it becomes really annoying. The animation is also much better and not so cheap looking. There are shadows, out of focus backgrounds and 3-dimensional shots. Also, the same background does not repeat itself over and over when Shaggy and Scooby are running.
The plot is about a haunted mansion in a Louisiana bayou and the Mystery Inc. effort to unravel it. But the gang have split up. Daphne Blake is a talk show host, Fred is her producer, Velma Dinkly is a bookstore owner and Shaggy and Scooby are unemployed. They reunite to go on the road for Daphne's birthday. That is when they come across an opportunity to solve a REAL mystery. Much to the disappointment of Fred the zombies are real. There are no fake masks and no scams. I think this is very refreshing.
The new, re-vamped Scooby Doo franchise is full of potential and this movie along with, 'Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost' and 'Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders' uses that potential very well. If only they were longer. Just over 70 minutes ain't enough.
The plot is about a haunted mansion in a Louisiana bayou and the Mystery Inc. effort to unravel it. But the gang have split up. Daphne Blake is a talk show host, Fred is her producer, Velma Dinkly is a bookstore owner and Shaggy and Scooby are unemployed. They reunite to go on the road for Daphne's birthday. That is when they come across an opportunity to solve a REAL mystery. Much to the disappointment of Fred the zombies are real. There are no fake masks and no scams. I think this is very refreshing.
The new, re-vamped Scooby Doo franchise is full of potential and this movie along with, 'Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost' and 'Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders' uses that potential very well. If only they were longer. Just over 70 minutes ain't enough.
The Hauntings are just Starting!
amiranda-3927427 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Scooby Doo on zombie island is considered one of the best, if not the best, Scooby doo movie ever made, and I will attest to that, ever since I was a kid this has always been one of my essential Halloween movies. This was the first Scooby doo movie after a long hiatus that revamped the Scooby doo franchise and is directly responsible for it thriving to this day. The movie starts with a very intense chase scene, with a moat monster chasing the gang and almost killing them a couple of times, but it turns out to be a flashback story, with Daphne now being a celebrity with her own tv show about hauntings and other supernatural phenomena. Its revealed after years of mystery solving the gang went their separates ways and now have their own jobs, I always preferred this breakup to the live action movie since it shows they all went on friendly terms and still kept in touch, which is why when Daphne is ready to start her show in Louisiana, the gang has a very touching reunion that shows what good friends they are. There's a montage with the song the " the ghost is here" playing, with the gang quickly solving hoaxes and other fake monsters, it perfectly capture the spirit of the classic Scooby doo where are you and lets us see that grown adults dressing up as monsters is a very common occurrence ( Also it demonstrates why the gang would be skeptical of real ghosts and monsters existing). frustrated with the fakes and hoaxes, daphnes prayers are answered when a mysterious girl named lena tells them about a haunted island in the bayou. Determined to see if the rumors are true the gang travel to moonscar island that is just oozing with atmosphere and is just an excellent location for a ghost story. On the island there is a mansion owned by a recluse woman named simone who will tolerate the gangs investigation as long as they stay the night in her mansion. As soon as they step into the mansion, the hauntings begin. The horror aspect used here, will actually surprise you with how dark and spooky things get. This movie has scary moments that are done better than most modern horror movies. The dread just gets heavier as you get towards the climax and it skyrockets when the twist is revealed of why there is so much supernatural activity occurring on this island. The mystery of the island is just super compelling, with some very impressive lore. The zombies have excellent character designs and just look fleshy and grotesque, and the ghosts and monster can be very scary to look at ( They gave me nightmares for weeks as a kid). This movie can be very dark at times, not just with the scary stuff but also with the violence, this is the first Scooby doo movie where the gang feels like their in actual danger, it even has a large death toll. The animation is just wonderful, there is a lot of black and shadows used to make everything look spookier, and there is some pretty good cinematography, especially in the bayou. The soundtrack is to die for, especially the epic " Its terror time Again" sequence. The comedy can be juvenile at times ( please don't act like your above that) but there are some really funny jokes and gags. This still holds up as one of the spookiest ghost stories ive ever seen, that is just fun from beginning to end. But if you have little kids I urge you to watch this with them, or just watch it by yourselves, I guarantee, it will send shivers down your spine.
A great comeback for the pooch!
GOWBTW10 April 2006
After "A Pup named Scooby Doo" I thought there would be no more. Well, hear this, Scooby Doo fans, HE'S BACK! And this time, there are no tricks in this mystery. After years of tracking down fake ghosts and solving mysteries The gang of Mystery Inc. are back together again. This time they venture out to see that ghost do exists. Going to an island off from Louisiana is a heck of a mystery. And boy does it really show. The gang get an eyeful, a mouthful, and handful of clues they can fill up. Scooby and Shaggy couldn't get enough of that Cajun cooking, and they try to out-spice one another with those Cayenne peppers which even I couldn't stomach. No fakers this time, and the zombies in the movie ended up being the good guys. Imagine that! Seems like the whole trip turned out to be a tourist trap from the get-go. And that fishing pig was a real hoot. This movie is a staple to fans of Scooby Doo, and we'll say goodbye to the original voice: Don Messick. Farewell Don and RIP. Rating 5 stars.
Another modern Scooby Doo.
OllieSuave-00714 February 2018
In this more contemporary Scooby Doo movie, the Mystery Inc. gang, having separated and acquired new careers, reunites on trip to Louisiana for Daphne's television show. They run into fun, ghostly adventures - just like the old days.
The animation in this movie was very colorful and the plot was somewhat suspenseful, making the story elements, especially that of the zombies. It was great seeing Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby all banding together again to solve the mystery; you can tell that the humor, jokes and dialog have a more hip and modern touch to it.
While a pretty fun and entertaining movie, it doesn't have that unique flavor of the classic Scooby-Doo series. It was interesting and noteworthy, though, to see this movie contain real supernatural forces. It's worthy to see - younger kids would enjoy this.
Grade B-
The animation in this movie was very colorful and the plot was somewhat suspenseful, making the story elements, especially that of the zombies. It was great seeing Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby all banding together again to solve the mystery; you can tell that the humor, jokes and dialog have a more hip and modern touch to it.
While a pretty fun and entertaining movie, it doesn't have that unique flavor of the classic Scooby-Doo series. It was interesting and noteworthy, though, to see this movie contain real supernatural forces. It's worthy to see - younger kids would enjoy this.
Grade B-
Very Scary and Intense for a Scooby Doo Movie!!
bethlori11 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
So this movie is one of the best Scooby Doo movies!! It does not have people in masks scaring Shaggy and Scooby!! We have friggin Zombies that are scary( Fred pulls a zombies head off too!!) And we have people that turn into Friggin cats( quite disturbing for young kids) I know that probably ratings were low on a Scooby Doo show so they made a real ghost show!! ( I think that one show had real ghosts)!! But this is set in Louisanna and a haunted house and a haunted bayou!! There's voodoo dolls and Human Cats and Zombies!! So I think any Scooby Doo fan is gonna love this!!
The Scooby-Doo movie that started it all...
wile_E200516 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
By the early 1990s, the Scooby-Doo franchise was starting to wear thin. They were making "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo," which was absolutely brilliant! It made good jokes poking at the old formula, but people were beginning to grow tired of the old-school, outdated techniques that Hanna-Barbera was doing (limited animation, cheesy writing and music, their trademark Hanna-Barbera sound effects). So in 1994, with the success of the "Animaniacs" animated TV series, Hanna-Barbera decided to try and make an animated TV movie done in the same style as an old Warner Bros. cartoon, by upgrading to full animation, fully-orchestrated "Carl Stalling"-like music scores, doing the same comedy and gags that "Animaniacs" employed, and using all-new sound effects to make the cartoon blend in with the 1990s, in their TV movie "Arabian Nights." They decided to have Scooby-Doo and Shaggy appear in it, too. Unfortunately, that film was a disaster, and marked the end of an era for Hanna-Barhera. So, flash forward to 1998. Hanna-Barbera decided to breathe new life into the Scooby-Doo franchise, updating it in a better way than "Arabian Nights" tried to do. The actual production of the movie was outsourced over to Warner Bros. Animation, the studio most famous for creating Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes. But you won't find Chuck Jones's or Friz Freleng's or Bob Clampett's work here. WB made a more professional, dark, and more realistic Scooby-Doo animated feature! Since Shaggy was depicted eating meat, Casey Kasem (who is a vegetarian) refused to voice Shaggy, and will only voice him if Shaggy is a vegetarian, too. So Billy West does Shaggy's voice. I must admit, he does a pretty good Shaggy! Billy West is a great modern-day voice actor, supplying the voices for Fry, Stimpy the Cat, the Cheerios Honeybee and many other 'toons out there. But Don Messick, the original voice of Scooby-Doo, died before the film was put in production. It's really sad, cause Don did the best Scooby voice ever. So Scott Innes was hired to voice Scooby. I'm sorry to say it, but Scott can't do a really good Scooby-Doo. He makes him sound like Roger Rabbit. It doesn't match the quality that Don Messick's Scooby-Doo voice had. Velma is now voiced by veteran actress B.J. Ward, and does a good job at it, too. Velma went through many actress changes over the years, but Nicole Jaffe will always be the best Velma. Daphne's new voice makes her sound too perky. Frank Welker, however, returned to voice Fred, and he can still do the voice well. Here, Fred is actually very funny! I love it when he makes jokes on how they used to solve mysteries. "It's probably a hologram of a man in a pirate suit." "It's probably the gardener in disguise!" "That's just a mask"! Little does he know that the monsters are REAL! The commercials advertised it as, "THIS time, the monsters are real!" But they had real monsters on the show, before, back in the 1980s. Not just bad ones in "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo," but some GOOD monsters as well, like in "Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School." Here, the zombies are the good guys, but the werecats are not. Another thing here is the animation. Don't expect the second-rate animation you see on Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Warner Bros. Animation is doing it now, and they give it a more realistic, full-animated look that will be seen in all other Scooby-Doo movies WB produced after this. Fred and Daphne now got a wardrobe change, too. But it's still better than the clothes they wear on "What's New, Scooby-Doo." The music is no longer cartoon-style music. Here, it sounds more professionally-scored, sort of like a modern-day Disney film. But there is a downside to Termite Terrace producing the Scooby-Doo movies. They began phasing out the classic Hanna-Barbera sound effects that enhanced the older Scooby-Doo cartoons. Newer, digitally-recorded sound effects are now heard here, and the H-B SFX are now only used for sequences featuring Scooby and Shaggy in them. This also unfortunately carried out to "What's New, Scooby-Doo." The Mystery Machine was also changed, here. It is now a standard minivan with the classic colors added. In 2002, they brought back the old Mystery Machine, but with GPS equipment and computers and more modern junk. Anyways, this is the very first Scooby-Doo animated movie that Warner Bros. Animation produced, and they have taken over production on the Scooby franchise ever since. But this is a pretty good movie, actually. It's too bad most of the others were a bunch of crap, with a few exceptions (see my other comments for details). I recommend this, but only for those over eight years old.
Violates foundational premise of Scooby-Doo
victorw-5985612 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is a horror movie not a mystery. What makes Scooby-Doo stories true to the creators' original intent is that monsters, magic, etc are not real. There is supposed to be a MYSTERY to solve, which always includes a natural, not supernatural, explanation. This movie completely breaks away from that core aspect of what constitutes a genuine Scooby-Doo story. As soon as you make the supernatural "real", you no longer have Scooby Doo. Other stories where magic is real like Harry Potter etc are fine because it's foundational to the story and presented as such right from the beginning. But the basis of Scooby Doo teaches youth in an entertaining way to use their critical thinking skills to discover that things are not as they always seem and that there is a natural explanation for what at first appears to be supernatural. On top of all that this movie is WAY TOO SCARY for the age range of kids for which Scooby-Doo was created. This movie is completely undeserving of the Scooby-Doo name.
This is how Scooby Doo should be!
stefanantonie7 September 2021
The best SD movie and no one will change my mind about it! Just like SD Mystery Incorporated, this movie broke the "just a guy in a mask" pattern and put in some real paranormal activity! Really spooky for kids, Idk why wasn't it rated PG-13, because the movie wasn't really for children, but, overall great movie!
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