Movie: Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
My Rating: 3 stars
This is just another comedic, teen, zombie movie, cut from the same cloth as all the others. But, I like that kind of thing. I like funny zombie movies, and this is a pretty good execution of the genre—charming protagonists, hateful villains, pretty solid zombie makeup. However, I think the script could have stayed a little more on-theme. The movie holds itself out to be a comedy in which Boy Scouts use their “particular set of skills” to kill zombies more effectively than the general public. And, there wasn’t really much of that happening. Most of the “scouting” was limited to the boys running around the film in their uniforms. There wasn’t very much knot-tying, fire-starting, or marching in unison in a fascist, flag-saluting ceremony. I was hoping that that was going to be more of a hook that would set this movie apart from the others. But it just didn’t deliver.
Maybe the point of our main characters being Boy Scouts is to highlight the fact that they’re awkward, teenage boys. Because, their teenage shortcomings really do come into play in the story. Teen boys can be horny, zitty, and destructive creatures. They’re simultaneously terrified of women, and fascinated by them. They can sometimes be physically incapable of tearing their eyes away from a nice rack, or a slightly too-sheer skirt. And, that becomes a real problem once our precious, little scouts begin encountering zombie ladies in various states of undress. One part of their minds are screaming, “Run!”, while another part is droning, “Boobies!” And, that kind of hesitation can get you killed. It also provides the setup for a lot of really raunchy jokes. Dicks, boobs, awkward teen fumbling—it’s all fair game. And, I’ll admit to laughing as much as I was cringing.
This isn’t the best zombie comedy in the world, but it’s better than a lot I’ve seen. I’d recommend it to you guys if you’re in the mood for something rude. You just can’t be one of those easily-offended types. There’s lots of body part humor in this movie. And, lots of blood and guts. It’s cartoonish gore, but it’s still pretty messy. And, I know that some of my readers do have delicate stomachs. But if you think you can handle all of that, this movie really is fun. The characters are charismatic, and we get the satisfaction of seeing them really kick butt (once they get over the distraction of so many chesty zombies). It’s worth renting.