It’s official: Gen Z has voiced their opinions on the American Pie films, and their reactions are less than excited. Back in the late ’90s, American Pie emerged as a blockbuster film franchise. Featuring famous actors like Jason Biggs, Jennifer Coolidge, and Chris Klein.
The American Pie film series continued with a sequel titled “American Pie 2,” which was released in 2001. This was followed by “American Wedding” in 2003. And almost a decade later, the series saw its reunion with the release of “American Reunion.” The storyline revolves around four high school classmates on a mission to shed their virginity before they graduate.
However, the response from Generation Z was unanimous. Commonly defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, after watching one of these iconic films for the first time can be summarized in one word. “Problematic.” According to a 2020 report by Vice, members of the younger generation openly criticized the film. Accusing it of “bordering on incel attitudes.”
The 16yo had a lot to say about American Pie
Taylor, aged 16, dismissed American Pie as “completely ridiculous” and said that modern men now treat women with “a lot more respect and equality.” She specifically found fault with the main characters, labeling them as “losers” who do not merit female attention.
Another viewer, 18-year-old Olivia, drew a parallel between the male characters in the film and “incel” traits. Noting that they believe they are entitled to physical touch. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Hannah labeled a scene where male characters film an exchange student, Nadia, getting dressed as “deeply problematic.”
She questioned why the film failed to “even question the morality of doing this.” She stated, “The film doesn’t even question the morality of doing this, it makes it seem like a joke and that the dudes are all ‘legends’ for getting the plan to work. It’s a huge violation of privacy and a physical offense for Jim to film her, let alone to then share that with his friends.”
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In addition to American Pie, today’s teens were also tasked with watching other classic films
These included films such as Dude, Where’s My Car, and Clueless. Hannah, in particular, expressed her inability to endure Dude, Where’s My Car. Stating, “I didn’t make it to the end of this film, and I genuinely don’t get how anyone could sit there and watch the whole thing. Let alone find any of it funny.”
Olivia, too, conveyed her strong disapproval of Dude, Where’s My Car, stating that she “hated all of it.” She highlighted a particularly repulsive scene where a character, Jesse, receives a lap dance from a stripper. Later revealed to be a trans woman.
The film, as Olivia described, jokingly referred to her as “a gender-challenged male.” Jesse’s reaction to discovering the character’s identity, including wiping his tongue and inspecting for physical attributes, was deemed offensive and derogatory.
“And how they seem to think that’s all women are good for rather than wanting a loving relationship with somebody they respect. I think if you were a teenage boy watching this you’d basically feel entitled to behave however you wanted to towards women,” she said.
In essence, the perspectives of Generation Z shed light on the changing societal norms. It heightened sensitivity to issues of respect, equality, and privacy in today’s cultural landscape. These critiques underscore a growing consciousness among the younger generation about the representation of such themes in the media they consume.
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