SCOOBY-DOO! AND KRYPTO, TOO!
Studio: Warner Bros. Animation
Runtime: 78 minutes
Release Date: Digital, DVD (Walmart exclusive) – Sept. 26, 2023; DVD (wide) – Oct. 24, 2023
Description: Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo have to solve what may be their greatest mystery yet in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! The world’s greatest heroes, DC’s Justice League, have mysteriously vanished and a terrifying phantom has taken up residence in The Hall of Justice. Now it’s up to the world’s greatest super sleuths, Scooby and the gang, to solve the mystery and save our heroes…with a little help from their new pal Krypto the Superdog!
Cecilia Aranovich Hamilton directs Scooby-Doo! And Krypto, Too! from a script by T.K. O’Brian. Producers are Rick Morales and Jim Krieg and Sam Register is Executive Producer.
Special Features:
-Bonus Episodes:
—Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? “The Scooby of a Thousand Faces!”
—Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? “What a Night, for a Dark Knight!”
—Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? “One Minute Mysteries!”
Review By James Harvey
Mystery Inc. comes to Metropolis to find out why the Justice League has vanished in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!, a fun albeit lengthy crossover from DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation. While there’s plenty to enjoy in this gleeful outing for Scooby and the Gang, the movie runs a shade too long and starts to overstay its welcome a wee bit by the time the end credits roll. Still, if you’re looking forward to seeing Scooby’s take on a some of the best comic book characters around, then look no further!
Not only does Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! open with the League already missing, but our Gang quickly discovers the Hall of Justice is also haunted by a mysterious phantom! Thankfully, they get a little investigative help in the form of Superman’s best friend, Krypto! It’s a good thing, too, as there appears to be more than just a spooky phantom haunting the halls of Justice!
Taking the vast DC Comics universe and filtering it through a Scooby-colored lens, there’s plenty of good times to be had with Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!, and not just for fans of Mystery Inc. This animated movie is absolutely jam-packed with homages to the animated and comic book adventures of DC’s finest heroes, and the entire cast and crew is clearly having a blast here. Unfortunately, the movie’s thin story doesn’t quite mesh with the 78-minute run time and starts to drag things down in the movie’s back half.
When you boil Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! down, it’s more or less the standard Scooby-Doo mystery. The gang investigates a haunting and hi-jinks ensue, it just all happens to take place at The Hall of Justice. The Hall’s trophy room alone should keep fans busy as they pour through the wealth of comic nods found within. Plus, the last act is jam-packed with some pretty big Superman references that fans will get a kick out of.
On top of that, viewers will see more than a few familiar faces from the DC Comics universe. Outside of the Justice League appearing, other characters appearing include Lex Luthor, Mercy Graves, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, not to mention some of the vilest foes around. Unfortunately, outside of a few neat little surprises (no spoilers), the supporting cast and assorted suspects mostly come off as pretty one-dimensional, though that’s standard with most Scooby-Doo animated movies. Luthor in particular comes off as especially one-note and goofy, and something resembling an evil real estate developer, but he still manages to garner some of the movie’s biggest laughs.
If the movie’s run time was shorter, or if there was just more to the plot, Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! would probably rank up there with Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island as one of the best. There’s truly a lot to love here. Unfortunately, the movie puts our heroes through a lot of hi-jinks and silly situations that seem geared to just pad out the time until the big reveal (which itself isn’t even really the end of the movie, as there’s an extended action-beat after the mysteries are solved). A lot of it is incredibly funny, but then there are some sequences, such as Scooby and Shaggy’s extended romp through the Hall of Justice’s “Kitchen,” that just keep going and going, eventually losing their luster.
Even though some gags may run a little long, Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! is still bursting with great jokes (“Happy Birthday, Second Robin!”), one-liners, and a fair share of wit. Lois being unable to recognize Velma without her glasses is a cute, silly nod to her famed (and former) inability to see through Superman’s Clark Kent disguise. It shouldn’t land, since it’s a pretty tired joke at this point, but it ends up working hilariously so. There’s also more than a few solid jokes about Luthor’s stint as President here, clearly inspired by recent history, and his dog, Rex, grabs a giggle or two.
Without a doubt, Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! manages to remain a mostly enjoyable jaunt thanks to its incredible voice talent. Returning as the voices of the Scooby gang are Frank Welker as Scooby-Doo and Fred Jones, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy Rogers, Kate Micucci as Velma Dinkley and Grey Delisle as Daphne Blake (and Wonder Woman, too). Outside of the main cast, other talent includes Victoria Grace as Mercy, Charles Halford as Lex Luthor, Nolan North as the Joker and Superman, Tara Strong as Helen, Lois Lane and Harley Quinn, Fred Tatasciore as Solomon Grundy and Perry White, James Arnold Taylor as Jimmy Olsen and Rex Ruthor. It’s an impressive roster, no doubt there.
Also worth a shout-out is composer Robert J. Kral’s pretty slick score for Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!. Here he smoothly meshes the usual tunes we’ve come to expect in a Scooby-Doo animated movie with a hefty amount of “heroic”-sounding work, including the return of his “Superman” theme from Superman/Doomsday.
While not the best Scooby-Doo animated movie, Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! is also far from the worst. The movie’s only real problem is the runtime, which drags out some of the jokes and makes the one-note supporting cast appear just that much more flat and forgettable. Outside of Lex Luthor and Mercy Graves, none of them really leave any type of lasting impression. Still, long-time Scooby viewers will undoubtedly find plenty to like, as should DC Comics fans.
What might be the biggest letdown for fans looking to scoop up Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! on home media is the lack of a Blu-ray release. Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has released this movie on DVD and Digital, both in standard and high definition formats, and that’s it. This isn’t a new practice by the studio, but it remains baffling and disappointing nevertheless.
The DVD’s audio and video transfers are pretty strong for the format, but lag behind the Digital HD offering. It does look and sound really good, when considering the format and its limitations, but it’s clearly not the best overall presentation available. Basically, it’s Scooby-Doo and Batman: The Brave and The Bold all over again.
Bonus features are also scant, consisting of just three episodes from the recent Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? animated series. The episodes – “The Scooby of a Thousand Faces!,” “What a Night, for a Dark Knight!” and “One Minute Mysteries!” – feature Wonder Woman, Batman and The Flash, respectively. All three episodes are immensely enjoyable, but the overall level of bonus content is ultimately lacking, especially considering that Scooby-Doo has crossed over with quite a few DC Comics characters over the years.
Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! is another entertaining feature-length outing for Scooby-Doo and the Gang, even if it doesn’t hit all the right marks. It runs a bit longer than it should, which saps the film of some of its light-hearted energy, but the vast majority of jokes still land and the plentiful easter eggs are a blast to spot. Scooby-Doo and DC Comics fans should definitely give Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! a shot, but expectations might need to be lowered a shade. Recommended, but with reservations.
Please note Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment provided The World’s Finest with a copy of Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! for the purposes of this review.
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