Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon Blu-ray Review

The 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray presentation of "Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon" impresses with its crisp and colorful visuals, maintaining the standard set by previous Scooby-Doo releases. The encoding clocks in at an average bitrate of 14.99 Mbps, which leaves over nine GB of the Blu-ray disc unused. This aggressive compression results in occasional instances of banding and other artifacts. Technical improvements, such as utilizing more digital real estate, would likely mitigate these issues and ensure a smoother visual experience.

The video quality features resolution at 1080p with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The clarity and detail are excellent, bringing a bright and vivid image that suits the cartoonish style of the animation. While the animation intentionally lacks depth to recreate the feel of a hand-drawn cartoon, black levels are solid and provide a good contrast that enhances the overall visual appeal. Color reproduction is particularly noteworthy, delivering vibrant and lively tones throughout the film.

Though artifacts do occur in a few scenes, it is worth mentioning that these instances are not overly distracting. The visual experience remains highly engaging and fits well within the animated context of the film. Overall, despite minor compression drawbacks, the Blu-ray release offers an enjoyable and visually appealing presentation that fans are likely to appreciate.

"Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon" is equipped with a robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 audio mix that provides a clear and engaging sound experience. The dialogue is consistently crisp and intelligible, ensuring viewers can follow the narrative effortlessly. The 5.1 mix effectively handles the dynamic range, making excellent use of sound design to capture the essence of both the animated and action elements of the film. Although the humor in the dialogue may not be particularly impactful, the vocal clarity compensates by allowing every line to be easily discerned.

The low-frequency extension is particularly notable, especially during the intense race sequences in the Muscle Moto X Off-road Challenge. Engine roars and explosions deliver a satisfying punch, providing a solid bass response that adds depth to the film’s high-energy scenes. Additionally, WWE star Undertaker's voice benefits from the system's ability to highlight lower frequencies, giving it a rich and imposing quality.

Surround sound implementation shines in scenes featuring vehicular action, immersing the audience with a well-balanced distribution of sound effects around the listening environment. This aspect of the audio mix significantly enhances the viewing experience, making high-speed chases feel more thrilling and encompassing. While the presentation isn't revolutionary, it is precise and effective, bringing a satisfying auditory experience to fans of Scooby-Doo and WWE alike. Subtitles in English SDH and French are additional accessible features provided, further widening the accessibility of this release.

The extras of the Blu-ray release of "Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon" provide a comprehensive mix of additional content that enhances the viewing experience. Included are bonus episodes from distinct "Scooby-Doo!" series, offering nostalgic fans and newcomers alike a blend of classic and modern takes on the franchise. The high-definition episode of "Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!" showcases a more contemporary animation style and humor, while "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" delivers a unique narrative with some genuine supernatural elements. The "Revved Up with the Monster Jam Scooby-Doo! Truck" segment delivers an informative behind-the-scenes look at the Scooby-Doo monster truck, hosted by its driver. Lastly, the disc includes trailers for various related titles, allowing viewers a sneak peek into other Warner Bros. animations.

Extras included in this disc:

• Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!: Mystery 101: A modern animated episode with a unique style.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: The Secret of the Ghost Rig: An engaging episode with real ghost elements.
• Revved Up With the Monster Jam Scooby-Doo Truck: A behind-the-scenes look at the Scooby-Doo monster truck.
• Trailers: Previews for LEGO Scooby-Doo!, Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz, and LEGO Friends.

"Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon" is the twenty-sixth installment in the Scooby-Doo direct-to-video series and marks the third collaboration between Warner Animation and WWE. In this film, the Mystery Inc. gang—Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), Fred (Frank Welker), Velma (Kate Micucci), Daphne (Grey Griffin), and Scooby-Doo (Welker)—find themselves entangled in a WWE-sponsored off-road racing event under attack by a spectral driver named Inferno. The voice cast features a roster of WWE superstars including The Undertaker, Triple H, Paige, and Vince McMahon, who also contributes his own voice.

The movie’s plot adheres to the classic Scooby-Doo formula: encounter a ghostly threat, investigate amidst clues and suspects, and finally, unmask the culprit. However, the infusion of WWE's bombastic energy leads to fluctuating results. Some sequences feel dominated by the wrestlers-turned-drivers, transforming our beloved Scooby-Doo characters into side figures while they engage in animated motorcar chaos and exaggerated confrontations. Shaggy and Scooby provide comic relief as usual, often juxtaposed humorously against the self-seriousness of WWE personalities like The Undertaker.

Overall voice acting is competent, with standout performances from Vince McMahon and The Undertaker. Notably, Stephanie McMahon’s delivery falls short, feeling stilted compared to her peers. The established voices for Shaggy and Velma bring a heartfelt authenticity that particularly resonates. Despite its charm and occasional laughter-inducing moments, the film’s appeal is likely limited to fans already invested in both Scooby-Doo and WWE universes. For those less inclined towards wrestling, the niche cross-promotion may not hold much allure. Yet, for viewers looking for an entertaining mash-up with nostalgic callbacks to previous collaborations like "Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery," this film offers an amusing, if not groundbreaking, experience.

"Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon" offers an entertaining blend of mystery and sports entertainment that aligns well with the beloved Scooby-Doo franchise. The film uniquely combines the classic charm of the Mystery Inc. gang with the bombastic world of WWE, set against the high-octane backdrop of the Muscle Moto X race. Voice performances by WWE superstars add a layer of excitement to the experience, enhancing the plot's over-the-top appeal. However, it could have benefited from a richer set of special features. Extra content such as bloopers from the voice booth or behind-the-scenes insights into the collaboration process would have added significant value for fans.

Technically, the Blu-ray presentation is solid. The animation is crisp and vibrant, aligning well with modern expectations for a high-definition format. Audio quality complements the energetic visuals with clarity and balanced sound design that make the WWE interludes particularly impactful. Despite these strengths, this entry does feel somewhat forgettable in comparison to other Scooby-Doo adventures. It lacks the depth and memorable twists that define some of the more iconic entries in the series.

Warner's Scooby-Doo discs must be selling, or they wouldn't keep cranking them out. But imagine if the studio were to remaster Scooby-Doo's classic TV shows in 1080p instead of doling them out as standard-definition extras. Now, those would fly off the shelves. As for this forgettable entry in the series, skip it and wait for next year's "Scooby-Doo! Wild West," which sounds more promising.