In my recent review for 'Scooby-Doo And The Alien Invaders (2000)', I said that I thought it was perhaps the least successful 'Scooby-Doo' film directed by Jim Stenstrum. After watching this picture (and, thus, completing the Stenstrum quartet), I can safely say that isn't the case. 'Scooby-Doo And The Cyber Chase (2001)' isn't bad by any means, but it's definitely the weakest of Stenstrum's iconic efforts. That's a shame, too, because I have a lot of nostalgic fondness for this one; I used to watch it over and over again on VHS. Still, the feature is fairly fun even when viewed without rose-tinted glasses. It has plenty of charm to it and contains quite a few surprisingly satisfying throwbacks that should certainly please fans of the franchise. The simple pleasure of watching Shaggy and Scooby eat their weight in junk food (and still be hungry), go wild over day-old dog biscuits and put smiles on their more sensible friends' faces still shines through, despite the movie's noticeable flaws. The most obvious of these is the fact that the flick looks far more flat than its predecessors, primarily due to the apparent softening of shadows. This lack of dynamic lighting really hurts the overall aesthetic and makes it seem almost 'made for TV' (it is a DTV effort, but so are its more visually appealing predecessors). Another noticeable issue is the consistent use of on-the-nose exposition. Seriously, characters (usually Velma) will describe exactly what we've just seen happen even if the event is incredibly obvious. This actually starts to impact the pacing, too, as characters will take time to stand and comment on an urgent situation before leaping into action. I know that this movie is aiming at least partially, if not primarily, at a young audience, but this annoying exposition isn't an issue in Stenstrum's other work and that all aims for a similar audience. In fairness, this is likely the lightest entry in Stenstrum's 'Scooby-Doo' filmography, a far cry from the relative darkness of 'Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island (1998)'. The writing problems are likely a result of the apparently intense studio interference experienced while making the movie, something which also affected the making of 'Scooby-Doo And The Witch's Ghost (1999)' but didn't impact its end result. It's a shame, too, because it definitely reduces the enjoyment going in the flick; nobody, not even children, like being talked down to. The central concept is also strangely unbelievable despite its science-fiction nature, perhaps because it attempts to stick relatively close to reality in most areas, and the movie's mystery relies on a single repeating clue, which ultimately leads to an unsatisfying conclusion. Another, much more minor problem is that this picture's rendition of the iconic 'Scooby-Doo' theme is easily the worst one I've heard so far. Ultimately, though, the affair is generally entertaining and has a fair bit of underlying charm to it. It's a pleasant, easy watch that doesn't demand anything of its audience. Though it certainly has its flaws, it's still a fairly solid effort overall. 6/10.
