Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

Playing like Zombieland by way of Superbad if it was written by peak Kevin Smith, this silly horror comedy has more than enough laughs and gratuitous zombie violence to justify a night in your local multiplex. Whether it stands up to repeat viewings, as so many other films of this ilk have, remains to be seen; but in this reviewers opinion any film that has a room film of zombies being viciously killed by three nerdy scouts to 'Rock you like a Hurricane' deserves a swing at cult recognition.

Having suffered a slow start at the US box office (due mainly to a VOD release a few weeks after cinema bow) Christopher Landon's flick plays purely to its core demo and is all the more fun for it.

Our three heroes are led by sensible youngster Ben (Sheridan), who despite the objections of pal Carter (Miller) wants to remain in the scouts to keep geeky mate Augie (Morgan) company. When a trip to the woods with Dolly Parton obsessed Scout Leader Rogers (Koechner) goes array because he fails to turn up, the guys head back into the town to find it overran with zombies. Enlisting the help of bad ass cocktail waitress (Dumont), the lads head off in search of a secret high school party to save Carter's sister before the town is blown to smithereens by the army.

If you've watched the trailer for this, then you pretty know exactly what to expect. It's crass, juvenile, violent and shamelessly derivative; but it's also a entertaining hour and a half that never takes itself too seriously - which really is the key to a crowd-pleasing zombie apocalypse movie.

Tye Sheridan has already earned his stripes at a young age, doing superb work in Mud and Tree of Life. The youngster has a presence that can't be taught; if he surrounds himself with the right people the kid will be a superstar. While he doesn't have a whole lot to do here, it's a nice segway to leading man status and more mainstream work.

Go in with your brain switched off and you might just leave giddy. It doesn't have the wit of something like Zombieland, but it certainly has the fun factor.