Director Raja Gosnell managed to strike the right balance between state-of-the-art special effects and plot and characterisation in the first live action outing for Mystery Inc.

However, this time he's lost all sense of perspective with the sfx, impressive though they are, completely dominating any semblance of narrative or dialogue.

So we get a soaring pterodactyl ghost swooping down from the skies, a Black Knight that owes a debt to the Terminator and glutinous dollop of black gunge that spreads like an oil slick.

Matthew Lillard can't be faulted as Shaggy and the CGI Scooby flits seamlessly into the action but they're not served enough decent lines and remain two dimensional.

Seth Green is underused as Velma's potential love interest while she tries to bring some cod psychology on board with some guff about personal self-awareness.

Despite the non-stop action and kaleidoscope of primary coloured images, the overpowering sense is one of déjà vu - we've seen it all before.

One of the most frustrating problems is Alica Silverstone's bitchy TV reporter - a role so underwritten it makes most cartoon characters look Shakespearean.

Anklebiters will probably like it but, despite its noble intentions, this - unlike Looney Tunes or Spy Kids - is lost on the adults.

Tim Evans