Directed by: Jim Stenstrum
Written by: Mark Turosz
Runtime: 1 hour 14 minutes
Certificate: U
Full Credits at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290057/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
Plot:
Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred are all on their way to visit an old friend, Eric, at his college. The Mystery Inc. gang was invited by Eric to try out his new video game that is based on their lives as mystery solvers, which uses an advanced technological laser that can materialize objects and people both into and out of the game. When they get to the college, they discover that someone has created a creature known as the Phantom Virus, which materialized into the real world, before infecting Eric’s gaming program.
When trying to help look for clues as to who and what exactly caused all of the trouble in the college, Scooby and the gang are zapped into Eric’s game, but there seems to be only one way out for them. They must complete the game and defeat the Phantom Virus to earn their freedom back into the real world.
Can Scooby and the gang stop the Phantom Virus? Or will they be trapped in the digital world forever?
Story:
This is a great plot, and one of Scooby’s greatest feature films to date. The idea of throwing the gang into a video game helped bring together a variety of fun ideas for designs, be it Scooby and the gang in Ancient Rome, or throwing them into the prehistoric era. The film has all the elements of a near-perfect Scooby-Doo film, as we get the classic tropes of the original series, with modern elements (or at least it was modern at the time of release) as Scooby and the gang face off against a real monster, and in the end, it still gives us the classic ending of discovering someone real was behind it all. Though an unmasking isn’t necessary for this film, the discovery is in itself an unmasking, as the film throws various suspects at you, to make you think you know who the villain is.
It features a lot of classic villains towards the end and even includes a second group of the Mystery Inc. gang in their classic attire that turns out to be the video game versions of the gang that Eric designed. So, with double the meddling kids and trusty dogs, as well as multiple villains for them to face, the showdown towards the end is something truly spectacular.
DVD Features:
This DVD features four special features. The first is a making-of documentary that gives the audience an interesting behind-the-scenes look at how the movie is made, which includes interviews with the voice actors behind the characters.
As is the custom at this point, this DVD, like others before it, features a music video for “Scooby-Doo and Shaggy Love to Eat” composed by Scott Innes and Nelson Blanchard, performed by Innes who also voices Shaggy and Scooby in this film. This music video also featured on two previous Scooby-Doo DVDs which were “Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School“ and “Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf“.
Thirdly, there is a teaser for the film, which would have been advertised on television around the time of its release. It’s a quick 30-second teaser that announces the film’s release in Fall 2001, focusing heavily on the word ‘Cyber Space’.
Virtual Detective:
Finally, there’s actually a fun little game added to this DVD for the kids to play. However, don’t get too excited, as the game doesn’t really ‘play’ using the remote or anything like that. It’s a simple spot the difference game which simply requires you to click continue when you think you have spotted all the differences. Upon clicking continue, a list of the differences will appear, and you can give yourself or your kids a pat on the back for getting them all right. There’s no prize at the end, so don’t get too excited. Still, it’s fun for the kids.
Conclusion:
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is a great film, with some of the best pacing seen in a Scooby-Doo film, as well as great characters, an exciting plot, and of course, the classic Scooby-Doo tropes that make the franchise so loveable in the first place.
Cyber Chase is definitely one of the more recommended films on the list for newcomers and is one I would gladly buy for someone if they wanted a Scooby-Doo DVD.
As a film based around video games, it’s fairly obvious that this film spawned a video game of its own which got mixed reviews, but then again, it was 2001 so that feels pretty standard for a lot of games back then. The game was released on Playstation and Game Boy Advance, from THQ and Warner Bros. Games.
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase (DVD) is available on the Warner Bros. Shop along with so many others in the franchise. Just follow the link below to buy your copy today!
Media Mallrat 