Ani-MAY-tion: Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave And The Bold (2018)

I've always enjoyed the adventures of Scooby-Doo and co. Who doesn't? Okay, the live-action movies weren't as good as they could have been (second one was better) but they weren't bad enough to stop me from enjoying the antics of the gang. But there have been so many incarnations of the Mystery Inc. adventures that I have never considered them an essential addition to my bulging roster of scheduled viewing entertainment. That all changed, however, when I heard about this crossover with the world of Batman (although this isn't the first time that the two properties have been brought together).

The story is quite simple. Batman enlists the help of the gang on a case that has been stumping him for some time. Things are so crazy that the police even start to suspect Batman and the Mystery Inc. investigators of being the actual perpetrators of the crimes. Who is the real culprit? Well, we all know that's going to be revealed in a finale that will involve explanations and unmaskings.

Here's the thing that works best about Scooby Doo! & Batman: The Brave And The Bold. It gets all of the Scooby-Doo fun right, which you'd expect. That would seem to be the easiest part. But mixing in Batman would possibly change the caped crusader into something a little bit sillier than usual. Not so. In fact, considering the amount of detective work involved, this version of Batman is superior to some other versions I could mention. You may not get many moments of tension or darkness, although a sequence in Arkham Asylum nicely balances the selection of dangerous inmates with a standard Scooby-Doo chase.

The voice cast will be familiar to viewers who have watched any previous adventures in either series. Frank Welker is the famous dog, as well as Fred, Matthew Lillard is Shaggy once again, Grey Griffin is Daphne, and Kate Micucci can deliver a fine "Jinkys" as Velma. Diedrich Bader is a perfectly acceptable Batman, not my favourite but he's okay, and there's fun to be had with John DiMaggio (as Aquaman, as well as some other characters), John Michael Higgins (The Riddler), Tara Strong (Harley Quin, Poison Ivy, and more) and Jeffrey Combs (The Question).

Director Jake Castorena, working from a script by Paul Giacoppo (from a story by James Tucker), does a great job here. Having worked on a number of Batman Unlimited TV episodes, he makes an enjoyable animated feature debut here, one that makes me even more excited to see the upcoming Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.

Although this could have been improved in places (I was sorely disappointed to see Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn so underused, for example), it reminded me of how much I enjoy seeing Batman do actual detective work and how much I still love any adventures featuring Scooby-Doo and co. I may have to figure out how I can one day work my way through the many Mystery Inc. adventures that are out there. That will all rely on timing, and a plentiful supply of Scooby Snacks.

7/10

You can buy this here.
Americans can buy it here.