Parents' Guide to Zombies 2

Once again, it's the young people of Seabrook who affect positive change in the mentality of the whole community in this story. The predicament is understandable, given that the new arrivals are werewolves who don't come across as exceptionally friendly and whose presence causes a rift in the new, hard-fought unity between the humans and the zombies. But Addison shows impressive fortitude in relating to the werewolves on their terms and encouraging others to follow suit, and her example proves the community's saving grace. In the process, everyone learns something valuable about being comfortable with who they are and recognizing the positive qualities in others.

To be honest, though, that's not what Zombies 2's young fans will be looking for when they watch, and for them the movie plays up young love, atypical characters, and lots of impressive song-and-dance scenes. There are ample funny moments -- often at the hands of Addison's colorful and comically self-involved cousin, Bucky (Trevor Tordjman) -- and some sweet ones between Bree (Carla Jeffery) and her zombie love interest, Bonzo (James Godfrey). The werewolves command the screen when they're in a scene, offsetting the vibrancy of Seabrook High and its students with their dark ruggedness. The story struggles in parts to keep a consistent pace and rushes through plot points that deserve more time, but ultimately it's bound to be a crowd-pleaser for viewers who enjoyed Zombies.