"Trolls: World Tour" and "Scoob!"

So, since it looks like a couple of CGI kids' films are not going to kill theatrical exhibition as we know it, I suppose I should still put down a few thoughts on the films themselves. And no, I didn't pay the $20 for the PVOD releases.

First, the trolls of "Trolls" are back for a new adventure, this time ditching the Bergens and exploring the different tribes of trolls throughout the world, each related to a different style of music. Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) turn out to be Pop trolls, and they learn that there are also Classical, Country, Techno, Funk, and Rock trolls, with a bunch of subgroups and outliers running around too. The Rock trolls have been causing trouble because their leader, Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom), has decided to take over and assimilate all the other groups. So, of course, Poppy and Branch set out to save the day.

The original "Trolls" movie was a fun surprise because it was so bizarre and unexpected, full of strange design and story choices. "World Tour" dials this way down, opting instead for a very straightforward parable about learning to appreciate everybody's differences. The worldbuilding is very shallow and relies on a lot of stereotyping and basic gags. This is also very much a jukebox musical like "Sing," built on lots of little snippets of Top 40 favorites. I don't think there are any original songs this time out, or even any songs that are sung in full. However, it's all executed with good energy and plenty of colorful animation. It's nothing fancy, but it's well-made, with enough fun details to keep adults amused and children engaged. However, the wild creativity of the first film often feels a little short in supply.

Still, this is more than I can say for "Scoob!" which is Warners' attempt to relaunch the "Scooby-Doo" franchise. The first thirty minutes or so are fine, showing how Scooby (Frank Welker) and Shaggy (Frank Welker) first met as kids, and formed Mystery Inc. with their pals Fred (Zac Efron), Daphne (Amanda Seyfried), and Velma (Gina Rodriguez). However, things take a turn for the worse when it turns out that "Scoob!" is a surprise crossover with at least three other Hanna Barbera franchises from the '70s. First, there's the superhero team of Dynomutt (Ken Jeong) and the Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg), then you've got appearances from Captain Caveman (Tracy Morgan) and Dee Dee Sykes (Kiersey Clemons), and finally the big villain turns out to be none other than Dick Dastardly (Jason Isaacs) from "Wacky Races," sadly without his canine conspirator Muttley (Billy West).

This is the weirdest, and mostly unlikely reboot I've seen in recent years, because it's so uneven and doesn't seem to have a good grasp on who it's aimed at. The early parts of "Scoob!" focusing on the Mystery Inc. gang are fine, and make for a perfectly good introduction to this universe for kids. As someone who was never really a fan of the "Scooby-Doo" cartoons, I appreciated getting a solid little origin story in the opening act. However, the rest of the movie is far too concerned with pop culture references, snarky meta humor, and action-adventure set pieces to the point where it doesn't feel much like a "Scooby-Doo" mystery at all. For most of the adventure, Scooby and Shaggy are hanging out with Dynomutt and Blue Falcon, while the rest of Mystery Inc. is doing the actual mystery solving. I've also gotta question the film leaning so heavily on references to the older characters who have largely exited mainstream culture - though Dick Dastardly is by far the best thing about this movie.

I'll give the creators points for adding all the little references and callbacks to the "Scooby-Doo" and other Hanna Barbera cartoons where appropriate. The old sound effects and catchphrases get trotted out, and there's even an "eyes in the dark" sequence. The Mystery Inc. characters redesigned for CGI look just fine, even if the animation is on the cheaper side, and I like the updates to their characters. Velma's in charge, Daphne's not useless, and Fred has been demoted to being the muscle, but he's so much more loveable as the muscle. As for Shaggy and Scooby, well, their goofy charms still elude me, but seem more or less intact. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing these versions of the characters again - but maybe next time in a proper Scooby-Doo movie.

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