The movie begins with the Mystery Inc. gang—Fred (played by Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (played by Linda Cardellini), Shaggy (played by Matthew Lillard), and their talking Great Dane, Scooby-Doo (voiced by Neil Fanning)—solving a mystery at a toy factory. Despite successfully apprehending the villain, tensions arise within the group due to Fred and Daphne’s habit of taking credit for Velma’s and Shaggy’s contributions.
Feeling unappreciated, Velma decides to leave the group to pursue her own investigations. Two years later, each member of the gang receives an invitation to Spooky Island—a popular tourist resort owned by the eccentric Emile Mondavarious (played by Rowan Atkinson)—to solve a mystery involving the mysterious disappearance of college students.
Reluctantly reuniting, the gang arrives at Spooky Island and quickly realizes that the island’s visitors are being transformed into mindless zombies after experiencing strange visions. With Velma’s help, they uncover a plot by Mondavarious, who is possessed by an ancient demon known as a “Monstrous Evil Entity” (MEE), to use the souls of the island’s visitors to revive himself and take over the world.
As the gang navigates a series of wacky and spooky encounters, they must confront their own insecurities and work together to save themselves and the world from the MEE’s sinister plan. Along the way, they encounter familiar faces, including the sexy and mysterious journalist Mary Jane (played by Isla Fisher) and the enigmatic groundskeeper, Jeremiah Wickles (played by Peter Boyle).
In a climactic showdown, the gang manages to defeat the MEE and foil Mondavarious’s plot with the help of a potion concocted by Velma. They return the island’s visitors to their normal state and restore peace to Spooky Island.
With the mystery solved and their friendships reaffirmed, the Mystery Inc. gang decides to continue their adventures together, vowing to appreciate and respect each other’s contributions from now on.
“Scooby-Doo” is praised for its faithful adaptation of the beloved animated series, as well as its humor, visual effects, and the performances of the cast. While it received mixed reviews from critics, the film was a commercial success and spawned a sequel, “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed,” as well as several direct-to-video spin-offs and animated television specials.