Zapped! - Il college più sballato d'America

Zapped secured the services of three current teen stars to guarantee a box office for this comedic salute to Carrie. The three are Scott Baio from Happy Days, Willie Aames from Eight Is Enough, and Felice Schachter from The Facts Of Life. Would that things had only gone this well for Carrie on her prom night.

Nerdy kid Scott Baio, a misunderstood science genius, gets some kind of chemicals mixed due to baseball coach Scatman Crothers spilling something and a noxious gas overtakes him in the laboratory in school. When he wakes up he finds himself with the power of telekinesis. After that it's one ridiculous situation after another.

One thing about this film, except for the three leads nearly everyone else in the movie is a blithering idiot. Other kids, teachers, Baio's parents, Scatman Crothers is an exception. Best scene in the film is on prom night Baio's parents get a couple of priests to perform an exorcism on him.

As for the prom, the scene is strictly a takeoff on Brian DePalma's Carrie with the damage played for laughs instead of violence. Typical brat pack comedy by three who were trying to break into the pack. Some funny scenes, but mostly kind of dopey.

Though this is watchable, it does get a little played after awhile. For some reason, this movie isn't as good as one thinks it could be, when you first hear what its about. I think zapped could have been a little more creatvie in how the powers were actually put to use, to many girls being disrobed etc etc, it's fun at first-but there's nothing done thats spectacular or strongly memorable. It is just a nice little movie about a boy who develops special powers. The movie could have had more of a field day with creative innovative ways to use those powers! But nothing special happens at all.

This movie isn't especially terrible but cannot come close to some of the more well done 80's movies, not enough creativity went into developing an entertaining idea. The movie becomes a bit to formulatic and "been there,done that". I'd give this just a 5 out of 10. Not bad, but not particularly good either.

Barney Springboro (Scott Baio) is a real high school science nerd. His best friend Peyton Nichols (Willie Aames) just wants to party. Coach Dexter Jones accidentally adds to Barney's formula. Bernadette is the pushy class nerd who wants to interview Barney. The mixture explodes giving him telekinetic powers. Jane Mitchell (Heather Thomas) is the entitled cheerleader going out with a college guy. Both Bernadette and Peyton find out about Barney's powers. Bernadette wants to publish while Peyton uses his powers to win a baseball game.

It's a functional sex romp of a pretty low caliber. It was a lot better seeing this as a boy. This is the usual raunchy teen movie with nude boobs. The idea of a guy with telekinetic powers is a lot better than the execution here. The highlight is Heather Thomas. Scott Baio has a bit of charisma but he doesn't seem to be fully committed to being a nerd. A good pair of thick glasses would help and he needs to button up his shirt. It's like he's too cool to play the part.

And I ain't joshin'.

Why Scott Baio gets the proverbial shaft when great actors are discussed is beyond me. Here's a cat who has dated all the hottest tail and was the driving force behind what is arguably the edgiest, most acerbic teen flick ever in "Zapped!" ... yet he is often mentioned in the same breath with the two-headed Corey Monster (Haim and Feldman) and his frequent, far less dramatically astute compatriot, Mr. Willie Aames. Such degradation is tantamount to a travesty.

This movie is a cutting comedic triumph. Baio's character makes incisive observations about the empty rhetoric of adolescence, and challenges authority not only with his telekinetic powers, but alcohol, tobacco and sex. And let's examine the telekinesis closer -- is it just another one of those blessing-and-a-curse afflictions that finds the right guy or girl? Absolutely not. We're talking about a uniquely Zen ideal, a manifestation of a young man's private internal nirvana in the laboratory of the local high school. Beakers move, brooms sweep up debris, roulette wheels spin out of control, dad tosses liquid laxative all over himself uncontrollably ... this is a celluloid incarnation of unrivaled genius.

Alas, who am I kidding? This movie is stupid bad. And yet I still love it, dammit. So sue me.

The nerd Barney Springboro (Scott Baio) researches in the high-school laboratory means to increase the orchids of the principal and the behaviors of drunken mice under water. When the baseball coach accidentally drops one substance in another, Barney accidentally develops telekinesis power. His best friend Peyton Nichols (Willie Aames) and his school mate Bernadette (Felice Schachter) discover his secret. Peyton uses Barney´s ability to bet closer to the hot Jane Mitchell (Heather Thomas), who dates the college student Robert Wolcott (Greg Bradford). Bernadette tries to find application for Barney´s power and they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile Barney gets into trouble when Peyton decides to use his friend´s ability to make easy money.

"Zapped!" is a silly comedy that entertains. There are a couple of funny scenes and many hot girls, highlighting the sexy Heather Thomas. The viewer can see this film in a rainy day with few alternatives of entertainment. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Uma Mistura Especial" ("A Special Mixture")