After many heroic exploits, the Mystery Inc. gang narcissistic leader Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), fashion-conscious Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), brainy Velma (Linda Cardellini), hedonist Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and irrepressible Great Dane Scooby-Doo (a CGI creation) is being honored in their hometown of Coolsville, USA. A mysterious old enemy, out to discredit our team, is somehow bringing old fake monster costumes to life as real monsters.

This is actually not a bad premise, and the effects around the various creatures are good as in the 2002 original live-action film, Scooby-Doo is a physical presence, and again, Lillard deserves some sort of award for playing opposite Scooby as though hes got a real scene partner there.

For the most part, director Raja Gosnell appears to have encouraged his returning leads to play their roles as broadly as possible, which establishes a common tone but is seldom very funny. Seth Green contributes some wit as a museum curator who may or may not be a bad guy and Peter Boyle is so striking an embodiment of all the grouchy old men the gang has confronted that he generates some real laughs.

Every now and then, theres an actually amusing moment, but for the most part, the movie wobbles between trying to wink at the audience without having much to wink about and actually replicating the cartoon. The latter style probably plays much better to people young enough to appreciate the SCOOBY-DOO toon on its own merits rather than camp.

It may be worth noting that writer Gunn has just had two movies open within a week of one another: SCOOBY-DOO 2 and the excellent new version of DAWN OF THE DEAD. While flesh-eating zombies probably werent the way to go, a little more of the latters drive might have helped. SCOOBY-DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED is well-made and competent, but there just isnt a whole lot here for most grownups, even the ones who love cartoons.