Forget the muscle-bound, shotgun-wielding survivors. Our heroes win using merit badges . First aid, camping, wilderness survival, and even “nuclear waste disposal” (yes, really) become their superpowers. It’s genuinely clever to watch them MacGyver their way out of situations using camping gear and scout manuals.

For a comedy, the practical effects are impressive. The zombies are fast, vicious, and gross. There’s one transformation scene in a church that’s genuinely unsettling, and a final creature design that feels like something out of a much darker movie. The comedy never lets the horror off the hook.

: The zombie apocalypse serves as a metaphor for the difficult transition from childhood (scouting) to adulthood. The protagonists must reconcile their evolving identities with their longstanding friendships.