Teen movies are not known for quality, thoughsome of them are undoubtedly great. The genre seems to have a higher than normal ratio of bad films to good, and it includes some legendarily atrocious disasterpieces.The worst teen movies often try too hard to be relatable or edgy, resulting in unintentional comedy or outright cringe.They often fall flat with awkward dialogue, clichéd plots, and lackluster performances.
The 2000s were an especially shaky decade for the teen movie, resulting in some of its greatest offenders. This was the era of dud musicals likeFrom Justin To Kellyas well as dysfunctional star vehicles such asCrossroadswithBritney Spears. With this in mind, here are the ten worst teen movies of all time. The most egregious of them have earned their place in the cinematic Hall of Shame.
10’Twelve' (2010)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
“Twelve hours in, and I already hate this place.“Twelveis a crime drama centered around a privileged group of New York City teens caught in a downward spiral of drug addiction, violence, and bad decisions. The main character is White Mike (Chace Crawford), a high school dropout who becomes a drug dealer to his wealthy peers. When a new drug, Twelve, hits the streets, the characters' lives spiral out of control, leading to deadly consequences. The movie aims to explore the dark side of privilege and youth, but its melodramatic tone and disjointed plot make it hard to take seriously.
The original novel was praised, but directorJoel Schumacherfails to translate its tension to the screen.Twelveis riddled with issues, including an unnecessary voice-over, an overly crowded cast of characters, and a botched conclusion. The movie aims to be provocative and bold but winds up being inspired and pretentious.
9’Vampire Academy' (2014)
Directed by Mark Waters
“The female bond is sacred, and I want you to respect that.” Adapted from a popular series of YA novels,Vampire Academyattempts to blend teen drama with supernatural elements, but stumbles. It revolves around Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch), a Dhampir guardian-in-training, and her best friend Lissa (Lucy Fry), a vampire princess. Together, they navigate the perils of high school life at St. Vladimir’s Academy while dealing with romantic entanglements, rivalries, and a looming vampire threat. It’s essentiallyTwilightmeetsMean Girls, with campy execution anda messy narrative.
Any potential the movie might have had is marred by a formulaic plot and cardboard cutout characterization.It also ends on an annoying cliffhanger, so there’s little feeling of resolution. Deutch does a decent job with what little the script gives her, but some of the other performances are are wooden as a stake through a vampire’s heart. This misfire makesNew Moonlook likeInterview with the Vampire.
Vampire Academy
8’Endless Love' (1981)
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
“I was afraid of being crazy… but now I’m afraid of not being crazy enough.“Endless Loveis a romantic drama about two teenagers, Jade (Brooke Shields) and David (Martin Hewitt), whose passionate relationship spirals out of control. Their obsessive love affair leads to dangerous consequences, including manipulation, violence, and even arson. The film, based onScott Spencer’s novel, tries to explore the intensity of first love, but the overly dramatic plot and questionable character motivations turn it into an awkward melodrama.
The finished product is just weird and ill-fitting, lurching between tones.It’s aimed at younger teens but some of the content is incredibly dark, like the pyromaniac subplot. Even the author hated the movie,saying, “I was frankly surprised that something so tepid and conventional could have been fashioned from my slightly unhinged novel about the glorious destructive violence of erotic obsession.” All told,Endless Loveisn’t just one of the worst teen movies ever butone of the worst dramas, period.
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7’Zapped!' (1982)
Directed by Robert J. Rosenthal
“I don’t know if you’re a genius or a pervert, but either way, I like it.” This comedy follows high school student Barney (Scott Baio), who gains telekinetic powers after a science experiment goes wrong. He uses his newfound abilities to get revenge on bullies, win over girls, and generally wreak havoc at school. This is like a slapstick take onCarrie, though it’s brought down by juvenile gags and jokes that have aged poorly.
There are also a few scenes that spoofStar Trek,Taxi Driver, andThe Exorcist, but these are even worse than theStephen Kingparody. Despite marketing itself as raunchy and irreverent,Zapped!is surprisingly tame. There are one or two nude scenes, but they feel tacked on and awkward, not fitting with the rest of the film. For a better project featuring Baio and co-starWillie Aames, rather check out a rerun ofCharles in Charge.
6’Crossroads' (2002)
Directed by Tamra Davis
“You’re not my friend! You’re just like everybody else!“Britney Spears(in her first lead role) helms this one as Lucy, a sheltered high school graduate who embarks on a road trip with her two estranged childhood friends. Along the way, they encounter love, heartbreak, and personal growth, but the film’s weak script (penned byShonda Rhimes, though far from her best) and clichéd plot fail to make their journey compelling.
Crossroadstries to explore themes of friendship and self-discovery, butit feels more like a commercial vehicle for Spears than a meaningful story.It’s not even a good commercial though, as the star’s performance is like something out of a cheesy sitcom. The rest of the cast fare little better;Taryn Manning, for example, is tepid and occasionally hard to understand. Overall, this movie belongs in the same bucket as the similarly awful star vehicleGlitterfeaturingMariah Carey.
Crossroads
Three childhood friends embark on a cross-country adventure to pursue dreams they once put aside, taking risks that are sure to change their lives forever.
5’Cruel Intentions 2' (2000)
Directed by Roger Kumble
“Every game has its price.” The originalCruel Intentionsis a gem, but the same cannot be said for the disastrous follow-up It’s a sequel focusing on the teenage exploits of Sebastian Valmont (Robin Dunne) and his scheming stepsister Kathryn Merteuil (Amy Adams). The film brazenly attempts to recapture the scandalous and seductive energy of the first movie, to the point that it repeats three lines from that film verbatim. Unfortunately, the characters' manipulative games feel recycled, and the film’s attempts at drama and intrigue come off as hollow imitations of its predecessor.
The biggest Achilles' here is the lack of character development. The protagonists are flat and boring, though Adams does the most with what little she’s given to work with. Her appearance here makes the movie somewhat intriguing, in light ofthe mega-success she would go on to have. This isn’t enough to justify a viewing, however, andCruel Intentions 2can safely be skipped.
4’He’s All That' (2021)
“Makeovers are my thing.“He’s All Thatis a gender-swapped remake of the 1999 classicShe’s All That, itself a riff onMy Fair LadyandPygmalion. This time around, the main character is influencer Padgett Sawyer (Addison Rae), who attempts to transform a shy, awkward boy named Cameron (Tanner Buchanan) into the school’s next prom king as part of a social media challenge. Basically, this is an awkward, trend-chasing attempt to update the familiar story for a new generation.
The finished product is pretty terrible, which is surprising given that it was written by the filmmaker behind the first film and directed byMark WatersofFreaky FridayandMean Girlsfame. Indeed,critics evisceratedHe’s All That, panning its writing and the lack of chemistry between the leads.The lead performance from Rae is also decidedly shaky. Her charisma on TikTok is notably absent from this underwhelming project.
He’s All That
3’Yoga Hosers' (2016)
Directed by Kevin Smith
“I’m not even supposed to be here today!” Directed by the very hit-or-missKevin Smith(Clerks,Tusks),Yoga Hosersisa bizarre teen horror-comedyabout two Canadian high school girls, Colleen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Colleen (Harley Quinn Smith), who battle an army of miniature Nazis made out of bratwurst (Bratzis). This leads them to uncover a wider conspiracy involving Nazi clones and a ten-foot “Goalie Golem”.
This movie is a fever dream, and not in a good way.One reviewer memorably described it as a mix ofClueless,Gremlins,Strange Brew,Clerksand 1966Batman, and that’s pretty accurate. The lead actresses are not bad. They at least have spunk and energy. But the rest of the movie feels bloated, confused, and self-indulgent. It’s only 88 minutes but seems overlong. Taken together,Yoga Hosersreads like a joke, but one that the audience isn’t in on. This may be the absolute nadir of Kevin Smith’s filmography.
Yoga Hosers
2’Material Girls' (2006)
Directed by Martha Coolidge
“Some things are worth fighting for… like fashion.“Material Girlsstars real-life sistersHilaryandHaylie Duffas two wealthy socialites who lose their family fortune and must navigate life without their usual luxuries. It’s meant to be a riches-to-rages-to-riches-again comedy, but shallow characters and lack of meaningful stakes make it fall flat. The sisters’ attempts to adapt to a more grounded lifestyle come off as trite and uninspired, offering little in the way of genuine humor or heart.
With better filmmakers in command, this would have been a light but enjoyable comedy.Instead, the whole thing is simply saccharine.The Duffs don’t have the comedic powers to carry this project (their work earned them a Razzie nomination for Worst Screen Couple), and the movie utterly fails as a satire of wealth. Rather than poking fun at materialism,Material Girlsseems to venerate it. In addition, some of the characters are painfully stereotypical, making this difficult viewing.
1’From Justin to Kelly' (2003)
Directed by Robert Iscove
“Sometimes, love comes with a melody.” When it comes to the very worst teen movie ever, it’s hard to topFrom Justin to Kelly. This musical romance starsKelly ClarksonandJustin Guarini, the winner and runner-up of the first season ofAmerican Idol. They play star-crossed lovers who meet during spring break in Miami. They have an immediate connection, but outside forces and jealous friends threaten to keep them apart. All of this love and drama is set to musical numbers.
Again, this movie is something of a curio in light of Clarkson’s subsequent superstardom, but, as a movie, it’s abysmal. Amateurish performances, a woeful story, and shockingly bad dance routines bring it crashing down to earth.The connection between the leads is non-existent and the songs are lifeless.Unsurprisingly,From Justin to Kellywas a box office bomb,grossing$4.9m against a $12m budget. Its critical reception was even worse, with several publications later ranking it among the worst films of all time.
