Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: The skills of three boy scouts are put to the test when a zombie apocalypse breaks out.
Review: I think we can all agree the usage of zombies as a plot device has grown tiresome at this point. However, I wanted to give this a chance given the over the top notion of a bunch of boy scouts trying to save the day. Unfortunately, this film does not achieve the over the top, zany antics you'd anticipate until the last 15 minutes or so. The vast majority of the story is comprised of childish jokes and a more gross out-centric humor akin to the likes of "American Pie." This presentation doesn't complement what they were going for at all. Why wouldn't they utilize the nature of the scouts or include moments when their skills were coming in handy to defeat the zombies? I mean, the title includes "Scouts Guide" when the characters offer little different than any other zombie movie. If anything, this chick that works at the strip club was putting in more work against the zombies while the scouts run around screaming! It's not all bad though, but the comedy is definitely focused toward a certain demographic.
Let's start with the bad for once. One of the things that really pissed me off was the nonsensical portrayal of the zombies. So...they can talk (sing even), use objects, and do things like kick you? What exactly makes them zombies again? The scouts do eventually put their skills to use by the end of the film, but this works out to be only 10-15 minutes of what you were expecting all film long. On top of that, it wasn't really anything above or beyond what any other zombie comedy would come up with--just some makeshift weapons. Most of the movie is about the scouts--who are portrayed more as loser geeks more than anything--engaging in shenanigans as they try to survive the zombie horde. This felt like such a waste to me. As for the comedy, it simply does not mesh with the themes. Sure, I smirked when that one cop had her shirt stuck in the fence, and the scouts were in awe of zombie tits; but, if that's the best you got, you've failed. Stuff like the zombie grandma gnawing on the one scout's ass, holding onto the dick of a zombie like rope, the zombie stripper, some chick getting eaten out by a zombie, etc. were all too dumb--used simply for shock and awe. I don't know, maybe others will see the humor in these scenes. Finally, Denise, the girl that works at the strip club, was completely wasted. Why didn't they hook her up with one of the scouts? Yes, the scouts were underage for her so up their ages or make her younger! The scouts teaming up with a hot chick who can fight should have been one of the highlights but, instead, becomes one of the glaring misfires.
As for the positives, I might as well continue with Denise; she's a fun character that they hardly explored. The scouts themselves aren't too bad, but they do feel cookie cutter. The acting was acceptable from all players despite their inconsistent reactions to various circumstances. Including zombie animals did keep things interesting since few other zombie movies explore this angle. There were funny moments admittedly; I simply expected a different type of humor. The final battle at the party was decent yet the one scout seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he was wearing a bandolier. Honestly, there's not much else to say. Umm...the chicks were kind of hot and there were titties?
With all things considered, I'd place this film at slightly above average. It has a few highlights and fun moments, but there is nothing here we haven't seen a hundred times before and done better. You would best enjoy this film if you're not burnt out on zombies and/or you're into this kind of humor. I am just kind of blown away that this was rated R when a film like "The Final Girls" went with PG-13. What the hell? Essentially, this is rental material all the way with the potential to be either better than you'd imagine or significantly worse. I don't see any rational individual rating this beyond a 7/10 even if you were a member of the cast and crew.
Notable Moment: When the scouts finally gear up to take on the zombies. This took far, far too long to happen.
Final Rating: 5.5/10
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