Aloha Scooby Doo is an animated family film directed by Tim Maltby. The plot sees Scooby (Frank Welker) and the gang be invited to Hawaii, as Daphne has been offered a job, of course not long after they arrive a vicious tiki spirit starts to wreak havoc.
I have written at great length about the Scooby Doo formula and this might be the best example of it, and the harmful effects of it on the films themselves. My issue with this film is that it is clear from the off who the bad guy is, it is so obvious and predictable. This is a result of how strictly this film sticks to the formula, its like clockwork. You will know exactly what is going to happen and when if you have ever seen a Scooby Doo film before.
There is no charm in this feature either, a little warmth might have made the glaring flaws a little less noticeable. Also the jokes don’t land and are often painfully unfunny, and the characters themselves are particularly likeable and that stretches to the gang as well.
The one thing I will give this film props for is that it doesn’t reduce the Hawaiian characters to stereotypes, as often happens in these films.
Overall, an incredibly by the numbers affair that is soured by the lack of charm, humour or surprise.
Pros.
The minor Adam West role
The Hawaiian characters don’t feel like clichés and stereotypes
Cons.
The humour doesn’t land
It is painfully predictable
It is joyless
Even the gang themselves aren’t very likeable here.
1/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 