Alex and I saw the first Scooby-Doo film together just a few weeks ago. It was fun, and I actually found myself looking forward to seeing this sequel. I’m very happy to say that my anticipation was justified. SD2 is a more confident and accomplished film. The actors are much more comfortable with their characters: Matthew Lillard just is Shaggy, and Linda Cardellini, despite being better-looking than the cartoon Velma, hits the shy, geeky nail right on the head. Freddy Prinze Jr and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Fred and Daphne don’t do as much showboating this time round, which suits them much better. It’s a more coherent ensemble film, which is what Scooby Doo is about: the gang. The plot is a bit more twisty than the first film, and feels truer to the spirit of the original cartoon. The fart jokes are still there, and they’re still funny. The visual gags are good, too–including a classic poking-heads-around-corner moment, and some synchronized tip-toeing. It’s all just good. There are some scary moments, though, so a ready parental hand in front of a toddler’s eyes is definitely recommended.