There are no surprises from Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. It is exactly the juvenile, B-grade schlock-fest that the name insinuates. But let's break it down a bit. Scouts: teenage flicks from any genre often live and die by their casting choices. Here the central trio do a decent job with stereotypical characters; Tye Sheridan's sensitive Ben is likable, Logan Miller's obnoxious Carter is exuberant and Joey Morgan's nerd-tastic Augie is often humorous. Guide: not unexpectedly, the screenplay is not the film's strong point with a threadbare, signposted and clichéd plot. Christopher Landon's zesty direction, however, thankfully injects the tried and tested formula with a rambunctious, carefree energy and a killer soundtrack. Zombie: at this point in the popularity resurgence of the undead in both cinemas and on TV, it's a question of what there is to add to the canon. If this film is an indicator then the answer is nothing, although there are some slight twists on genre convention successfully played for laughs. Apocalypse: perhaps most importantly for a zombie flick, the slapstick uber-violence on display is gleefully gory and bucket loads of (bloody) fun. There is a distinct Evil Dead vibe with the cartoonish nature of the butchery, albeit with the assistance of CGI. A recommendation is hard to give due to Scouts Guide being so lightweight and forgettable, yet it entertains as in-the-moment popcorn silliness.
