Movie:
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is the latest direct to video Scooby-Doo adventure. This time, the gang visits their old friend Eric, who has been working on a video game based on their old mysteries. He and his colleagues have developed a laser that can beam objects from the real world into cyberspace and vice versa. One night, a "phantom virus" escapes from cyberspace utilizing this laser. Eric asks them to find the phantom so he can zap it back into the computer. However, when the gang corners the virus, they are all zapped into cyberspace. Now, Scooby-Doo and his friends (Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy) have to defeat the virus by beating the game, all while trying to uncover the mystery of who developed the virus to sabotage Eric's game in the first place.

I really enjoy the old Scooby-Doo cartoons, but the recent direct to video movies leave me mixed. Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is one of the better efforts, but even at 89 minutes, it seems too long. The story is pretty clever though - the gang meets and even teams up with their 70's counterparts to defeat the virus in the game.

Picture:
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The transfer has a few specks visible throughout, but that's about it. Edge enhancement, which was a problem on some of the other Scooby-Doo DVDs, is absent. Colors are vibrant throughout, with excellent contrast and deep blacks.

Sound:
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. The track is almost entirely center channel based though, with the front and rear surrounds mainly handling the music and ambient noise. Dialogue throughout is easy to understand, though sometimes sounds unnatural. Optional subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French.

Extras:
The main extra on the disc is the ten-minute "Making of Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" featurette, which has interviews with the voice actors and goes over the storyline. Also on the disc is the music video "Scooby and Shaggy Love to Eat," by Scooby and Shaggy voice actor Scott Innes, a virtual detective feature that compares the new gang to the old one, the promo trailer for Cyber Chase, and a sneak peaks promo trailer for the other Scooby-Doo DVDs.

Summary:
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is one of the better direct to video movies that Warner has released, though it will mainly appeal to fans of the characters. Priced a bit too high at $24.98, the DVD makes a better rental than a purchase. Rent it.