Zapped! (1982)

0% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(5,472 ratings)

Carrie meets Porky's as Charles in Charge co-stars Scott Baio and Willie Aames re-team for this mischievous-minded teen comedy about a hormonal high school science student suddenly bestowed with telekinetic powers. Emerson High School genius Barney Springboro (Baio) has a keen understanding of the… More Carrie meets Porky's as Charles in Charge co-stars Scott Baio and Willie Aames re-team for this mischievous-minded teen comedy about a hormonal high school science student suddenly bestowed with telekinetic powers. Emerson High School genius Barney Springboro (Baio) has a keen understanding of the periodic table of the elements, and a curious knack for experimentation. One day, while Barney is conducting a particularly sensitive experiment in horticulture, the lab is suddenly set ablaze, and his dreams appear to go up in flames. But any scientist will tell you that some of the best discoveries appear from the ashes of failure, and when Barney realizes that he now possesses the power of telekinesis his high school life suddenly becomes a lot more interesting. Of course the jocks don't stand a chance against a geek who can knock out a home run with the power of his mind, and as Barney's hormones take hold the skirts begin to flip and the tops begin to pop. Now, as the senior prom draws near, Barney does his best to land a date for the dance as his horrified parents put in a call to the local exorcist, his best friend Peyton (Aames) joins in on the fun, and a local reporter attempts to break the biggest story this small town has ever known. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Robert J. Rosenthal
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1982 Wide
On DVD: Feb 12, 2008

Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby, New York Times
A half-baked, rather retarded parody of Carrie and a number of other films that, using the awesome power of their ignorance, drove telekinesis into the ground.
Scott Nash, Three Movie Buffs
The only possible reason to watch this one is for the nostalgia factor.
Mark Pfeiffer, Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
Zapped! fancies itself to be the bad boy and flirts with that image, but this low-rent production is far too wholesome and blandly unfunny for that affectation to be convincing.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Zapped!'s place as a bona fide cult classic is nothing short of baffling...
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Surprisingly, the special effects aren't bad but they're wasted in a film that features a vomiting contest as a highlight. Skip this one.
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com
Not even Zap2it likes Zapped!
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
so wretchedly unfunny, it boggles the mind

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A fun and very funny comedy, I enjoyed it a lot. Of course, it is does get a bit too goofy at times, but I still enjoyed it.
Jason S

This is the basic high school sex comedy. A kid drinks a potion that gives him telekinetic powers and the only thing he uses it for is to see naked girls.
Dean M

So funny teen high school comedy and in the prom scene is like a <i>Carrie</I>-type on nudity and sexual situations. Whoooo!!
Ed Fucking H

A pretty amusing 80's teen comedy. While it is amusing it isn't actually really very funny, with a few exceptions. Scartman Cruthers is in this as well, probably most famous for his role in The Shining. Barney is a science wiz. While working on an experiment he accidently… More
A pretty amusing 80's teen comedy. While it is amusing it isn't actually really very funny, with a few exceptions. Scartman Cruthers is in this as well, probably most famous for his role in The Shining. Barney is a science wiz. While working on an experiment he accidently causes an explosion which knocks him out. When he wakes up he has gained telekinetic powers, ie the ability to move things with his mind. Barney quickly uses his powers for what any other healthy teenager would. To give him an edge in gambling pursuits and to expose ladies boobies. Pretty generic of this era of comedy, actually a disappointment as far as laughs go. I didn't really find myself laughing at much here, though I did find the overall film entertaining and amusing enough. Worth a watch for fans of 80's teen comedies i guess, but far from essential.
Chad R

OLD SCHOOL - loved this when I was a kid. I think mainly because they flashed boobs several times - HEATHER THOMAS flashes a couple of times

Cast

            Scott Baio as Barney Springboro

            Willie Aames as Peyton Nichols

            Felice Schachter as Bernadette

            Robert Mandan as Johnson

            Heather Thomas as Jane

            Scatman Crothers as Dexter

            Greg Bradford as Robert

            Hilary Beane as Corrine

            Sue Ane Langdon as Rose

            Curt Ayers as Art

            Ed Bakey as Fr. Gallagher

            Corinne Bohrer
            
            Roger Bowen as Mr. Springboro

            Merritt Butrick as Cary

            Eddie Deezen as Sheldon

            Rosanne Katon as Donna

            Hardy Keith as Roscoe

            Irwin Keyes as "Too Mean"

            Bryan O'Byrne as Fr. Murray

            LaWanda Page as Mrs. Jones

            Sandy Serrano as Amy

            Jewel Shepard as Girl in Car (uncredited)

            Marya Small as Mrs. Springboro

            Susan Ursitti as Debby

            Dick Balduzzi as Waiter

            Lisa LeCover
            
            Bennett Liss as Croupier

            Demetre Phillips
            
            Joshua Daniel
            
            Randy Patrick
            
            Jan Leighton as Albert Einstein

            Mews Small
            
            Jennifer Chaplin
            
See full cast