The trend of 1990s throwbacks continues with Saturday Morning Mystery, which takes place in 1994 and features acid stamps, piles of sticks a la The Blair Witch Project, and 90s music.
Take one look at the cover of Saturday Morning Mystery and you might conclude you are in for a total spoof of Scooby Doo. The film has enough references to make it clear that it’s a nod to the cartoon, but the humor is not sustained and it doesn’t try to be a clever satire. And it’s most DEFINITELY not a horror comedy. And no. The gang does not have the character names of the real Scooby Gang.
The opening section introduces the gang and the dog (it’s just a real dog—no talking). It also gives us a glimpse of them on the job, debunking paranormal claims. THIS is the most spoof you’re going to get and it’s where the majority of the humor comes in. Once they set up their investigation in a big mansion for the night, things get trippy and seem to be of supernatural or demonic origin. There’s also plenty of relationship drama (the guys and girls are paired off) and you kind of wonder what the hell you’re watching.
Finally in the last half hour, right after the gang starts having sex (no joke), the truth comes out—and so does the horror goodness. They’re not alone in the house—there are deformed killers stalking them! And this is when you realize our “Scooby Gang” is not immune to the lurking dangers and there will be no sequel. They are the victims. “Scooby” even becomes a Scooby Snack! The gore and violence hits you over the head—in a good way. This is a fun one for fans of flicks like Wrong Turn—even if it takes an hour to get there.
The irony of it all once the mystery is solved? The Scooby Gang would’ve gotten away safely if it hadn’t been for those meddling kids.
