SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

For some reason unbeknownst to me and many others, this film was renamed from 'Scouts v Zombies' to the much catchier and more succinct 'Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse'. Sadly, if that were its biggest problem, it would have been tolerable. This film is very squarely aimed at 15-year-old boys, which means it's sexist, full of dick jokes, and filled with buckets of fake blood. Stylistically, the violence is over-the-top and fake, and the zombies seem to vary from the staggering, foot-dragging kind to the full-pelt Usain Bolt variety. Don't get me started on the love story tacked in there; I'm not sure if the moral is supposed to be you'll get the girl after she realises her boyfriend is an arsehole, or that the girl you call "the most awesome person I've ever met" actually isn't the one for you. But most importantly, the comedy is really lacklustre - granted, I did laugh, but nowhere near as much as I was expecting to.

Still, there are some redeeming factors. The three scouts all play their stereotype well - Logan Miller as the girl-obsessed Carter comes across adequately douchey, Joey Morgan gets a lot of the laughs as geeky, misunderstood Augie, and Tye Sheridan as Ben is both convincing as the group's leader and the film's star. Rounding out the pack is Sarah Dumont, whose kick-arse skills and stunning looks see her stealing many of the film's scenes.

I love a good zombie story as much as the next person. Just as much, I enjoy a zombie comedy - 'Shaun Of The Dead' and 'Zombieland' gave us the perfect combination of gore and giggles. 'Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse' does not. Its flimsy and convenient story, poor handling of humour and disrespect for women left me craving nothing but my last 90 minutes back.