Review: Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015)

Directed by: Christopher Landon | 93 minutes | action, comedy, horror | Actors: Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont, David Koechner, Halston Sage, Cloris Leachman, Niki Koss, Hiram A Murray, Lukas Gage, Drew Droege, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Blake Anderson, Elle Evans, Matty Cardarople, Missy Martinez

“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” was first called “Scouts vs. Zombies “and although that actually covers the load well, the nice idiot-sounding title does indeed fit the content better. The zombies have just arrived, the scouts have a little more life experience. Who has the longest breath? (Yes, zombies breathe too, how else do they make those moaning noises?).

Teenagers Ben (Tye Sheridan, “Mud”), Carter (Logan Miller) and Augie (Joey Morgan) have been scouts since the age of six. Augie is still a fanatic, but at Ben and certainly at Carter the hormones are starting to play up and so the choice for a campout or a secret party where the most beautiful (read: most slutty) girls are present becomes increasingly difficult. When it turns out that the always reliable scout leader Rogers (David Koechner) has not shown up during the planned camping adventure, the boys feel wet, but nevertheless Ben and Carter decide their intended plan – when Augie sleeps away to go to a party. go – continue. However, the city is very deserted. What is going on?

The trio turns out to be the last survivors of a zombie attack in their town. Together with attractive Denise (Sarah Dumont, “Don Jon”), cocktail waitress at a strip club / former high school dropout, they try to keep themselves alive while uncovering the location of the secret party. One of those in attendance is Carter’s sister Kendall (Halston Sage, “Paper Towns”) and Ben has had a crush on her for a long time.

“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” alternates clichés with original finds. The group of scouts consists of the usual characters (Ben is a shy boy who actually wants to please everyone, Carter is the selfish bastard and Augie is the unpopular fat man), but their mutual relationship is well developed and therefore credible. Kudos to the casting too, because the actors have great chemistry among themselves and their comic timing is perfect. For many viewers, this coming-of-age pinch will not be desirable, but it gives the film a little more body.

A funny, because unexpected, find is the role of Dolly Parton (responsible for one of the most effective shock moments in the film). Also refreshing in the zombie genre is that these zombies really differ from the common living dead. In zombie form, a drunken bum is just a drunken bum zombie, and for cat lovers, the movie is probably nightmare-inducing. Above all, “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” does not take itself seriously anywhere and is often well over the top. Not all comically intended fragments hit the mark (there is one specific “stretched” moment that should have been killed), but in general this horror comedy (for ages 16+!) Is quite enjoyable. Are you into a lot of gore, fairly crude and vulgar humor? Then this cross between “American Pie” and “Zombieland” is definitely good for an hour and a half of entertainment.