Scooby-Doo! crossing over with the WWE isn’t quite that
peculiar. Such thing isn’t
unprecedented. Just last year, it crossed over with KISS. And back in the
70’s, there was a Scooby-Doo show
called The New Scooby-Doo Movies
(which I was able to watch as a kid because Cartoon Network re-ran it), which
featured the Scooby Gang teaming up with real-life celebrities (e.g. The Harlem
Globetrotters, The Three Stooges) or fictional characters (e.g. Batman and
Robin, The Addams Family). Heck, this
isn’t even the first time the cartoon collaborated with WWE; they made the
movie Scooby-Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery
back in 2014.
However, though the concept of a Scooby-Doo!/WWE crossover isn’t really
bizarre, Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the
Speed Demon is pretty ridiculous nonetheless. (Some mild spoilers ahead.)
First and foremost, the plot
revolves around WWE’s latest venture: “The Muscle Moto X Off Road Challenge.” It’s a three-part Death Race-style race (or, rather, something closer to Wacky Races) that features WWE Superstars
driving customized vehicles that look like a cross between a race car and a
monster truck. But it gets more
complicated as a demon racer named Inferno aims to sabotage the race. Coincidentally, the Scooby Gang is at hand to
help solve the mystery.
The premise alone is silly and
absurd, but here are some more details that make the whole movie goofier:
- There are some unlikely participants and groupings in this race. Diego, Fernando, and El Torito in the Pamplona Especial; Sheamus, Stardust, and Goldust in the Celtic Cruiser; Paige and The Miz in 2 Awesome; Rusev and Lana in the Moscow Express; Dusty Rhodes (!) and The Undertaker in the Legendmobile; and Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in the Company Car. They are probably the only guys available to do the voice work.
- Kofi Kingston, serving as the race’s reporter, rides a drone camera as if it’s a hoverboard.
- Shaggy and Scooby are portrayed to be big fans of the Undertaker. But when they get to meet him in person, they can’t help to shake in fear because of his intimidating persona and their cowardly nature. It’s really amusing to see the two simultaneously geek out and be terrified.
- Almost all of the WWE figures were animated well. I said “almost all” because Michael Cole looks nothing like his animated avatar. (As for their voice acting, they did well most of the time, though there are also a few times where they aren’t quite convincing.)
- Dusty Rhodes is one of the WWE Superstars participating. It’s strange, not because he already passed away last year – apparently, according to what I’ve read, he finished recording his lines prior his death – but because he’s portrayed as if he’s still actively working among this generation of wrestlers when, in real life, he had been retired for a very long time already.
- Mr. McMahon sings the American national anthem.
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon is very dumb and
bonkers. However, it’s okay enough to
give young fans of both the WWE and Scooby-Doo!
a great, enjoyable time. If something
like this happened back then, my ten-year-old self will adore it.
But even as an adult, I still sincerely
had fun with this movie. When the wrestlers did their iconic moves, or even
delivered awful puns that reference WWE themes (which are sometimes stressed in
case one would miss it. Lol.), I was delighted a bit. Even the times when it was being stupid, I
found it hilarious instead of annoying.
It’s completely bananas, unsophisticated,
and almost nonsensical. But it’s
entertaining when taken in a proper perspective.
Scooby-Doo! is one of my most favorite cartoon properties ever. And between this movie and the
Lego one earlier this year – plus the recent apocalyptic reinvention by DC
Comics – I’m glad that there remain constant attempts to keep it relevant today.
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