Films About Teenage Killers
Films about teenage killers delve into the dark and often unsettling aspects of youth, exploring themes of violence, alienation, and the complexities of adolescence. These films typically focus on the motivations behind the characters' actions, often providing a mix of psychological drama and thriller elements. They can range from horror films to more dramatic narratives, highlighting the societal, familial, and personal issues that can lead a young person to commit heinous acts.
Here is a list of notable films featuring teenage killers:
“Heathers”, 1988
Director: Michael Lehmann
This dark comedy follows Veronica, a high school student who becomes involved with a group of popular girls named Heather. When her new boyfriend, J.D., turns out to have a deadly agenda, the film takes a satirical yet chilling look at teenage angst and social dynamics.
Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker, Penelope Milford, Glenn Shadix, Lance Fenton, Patrick Labyorteaux, Jeremy Applegate, Jon Shear, Carrie Lynn, Phill Lewis, Renée Estevez, John Zarchen, Sherrie Wills, Curtiss Marlowe, Andrew Benne, Kevin Hardesty, Josh Richman, Bess Meyer, Jennifer Rhodes, William Cort, Larry Cox, Kent Stoddard, John Ingle, Stuart Mabray, Betty Ramey, Aaron Mendelsohn, Kirk Scott, Mark Bringleson, Chuck Lafont, Christie Mellor, Mark Carlton, James «Poorman» Trenton, Adrian Drake, Craig Braginsky, Michael Lindström, David McConnell, Mike Pont, Sylvia Tobias, Jeffrey Weissman;
Production year: 1988;
Genre: thriller, comedy, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 103 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “Heathers” on the website imdb.com
“The Virgin Suicides”, 1999
Director: Sofia Coppola
Based on the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, this film tells the story of the five Lisbon sisters, who live in a strict household. As the neighborhood boys become infatuated with them, the film explores themes of repression, isolation, and ultimately, the tragic decisions the sisters make.
Starring: James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, Michael Paré, Scott Glenn, Danny DeVito, A.J. Cook, Hanna R. Hall, Leslie Hayman, Chelse Swain, Anthony DeSimone, Lee Kagan, Robert Schwartzman, FourTee, Jonathan Tucker, Joe Roncetti, Hayden Christensen, Chris Hale, Joe Dinicol, Suki Kaiser, Dawn Greenhalgh, Allen Stewart-Coates, Sherry Miller, Jonathon Whittaker, Michelle Duquet, Murray McRae, Roberta Hanley, Paul Sybersma, Susan Sybersma, Peter Snider, Gary Brennan, Charles Boyland, Dustin Ladd, Kristin Fairlie, Melody Johnson, Sheyla Molho, Ashley Ainsworth, Courtney Hawkrigg, François Klanfer, Mackenzie Lawrenz, Tim Hall, Amos Crawley, Andrew Gillies, Mairlyn Smith, Sally Cahill, Tracy Ferencz, Scot Denton, Catherine Swing, Timothy Adams;
Production year: 1999;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 97 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “The Virgin Suicides” on the website imdb.com
“American Psycho”, 2000
Director: Mary Harron
Featuring Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a wealthy investment banker with a hidden life as a serial killer, this film critiques consumerism and superficiality in the 1980s while providing a disturbing exploration of identity and morality.
Starring: Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Josh Lucas, Reese Witherspoon, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, Jared Leto, Chloë Sevigny, Samantha Mathis, Matt Ross, Bill Sage, Stephen Bogaert, Monika Meier, Reg E. Cathey, Blair Williams, Marie Dame, Kelley Harron, Patricia Gage, Krista Sutton, Landy Cannon, Park Bench, Catherine Black, Margaret Ma, Peter Tufford Kennedy, Mark Pawson, Jessica Lau, Lilette Wiens, Glen Marc Silot, Charlotte Hunter, Kiki Buttignol, Joyce R. Korbin, Reuben Thompson, Bryan Renfro, Ross Gibby, Christina McKay, Alan McCullough, Anthony Lemke, Connie Chen, Marilyn Burns, Doshia Darmane, Brett Alexander Davidson, Peter Loung, Joseph Oliveira, Leanne Poirier Greenfield, Ronald Reagan, Somaya Reece, Jackson Rothery, Devin Schumacher, Kate Steen;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: drama, crime, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 102 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “American Psycho” on the website imdb.com
“Bully”, 2001
Director: Larry Clark
Based on real events, this film depicts the true story of a group of teenagers who plot to murder a friend who has been bullying them. It explores themes of peer pressure and the consequences of a toxic friendship.
Starring: Brad Renfro, Bijou Phillips, Rachel Miner, Nick Stahl, Michael Pitt, Leo Fitzpatrick, Kelli Garner, Daniel Franzese, Nathalie Paulding, Jessica Sutta, Ed Amatrudo, Steve Raulerson, Judy Clayton, Alan Lilly, Irene B. Colletti, Elizabeth Dimon, Ru Flynn, Jo-Aynne Von Born, Marc Pearson, Joseph Shrouder, Scott McHugh, John Parker, Phillip Ortiz, Lindzee Warren, Alexandra Steele, Sam Steele, Rick Amicucci, Rick Seguso, Jesse Dechant, Frank Ilarraza, Anthony Barrineau, Derek Oliveira, Carlos Hernandez, Danny Norton, Paul Aldanée, Trish Dempsey, Deborah Smith Ford, Brent Joseph, Sarah Knowlton, Joseph Marhee, Al Quinn;
Production year: 2001;
Genre: drama, crime, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 108 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,9;
More information about the film “Bully” on the website imdb.com
“Elephant”, 2003
Director: Gus Van Sant
This film, inspired by the Columbine High School massacre, presents a day in the life of several students leading up to a tragic shooting. The narrative style emphasizes the randomness of violence and the emotional detachment of the characters.
Starring: Alex Frost, Eric Deulen, John Robinson, Elias McConnell, Jordan Taylor, Carrie Finn, Nicole George, Brittany Mountain, Alicia Miles, Kristen Hicks, Bennie Dixon, Nathan Tyson, Timothy Bottoms, Matt Malloy, Ellis Williams, Chantelle Chriestenson Nelson, Kim Kenney, Marci Buntrock, Phillipp Roman Ostrovsky, Vana O'Brien, Michael Paulsen, Alfred Ono, Jim Steinpreis, Jeremy Simpson, Sherilyn Lawson, Sarah Lucht, Larry Laverty, Dave Stippich, Jimmy Gomez, Joe Cronin, Wolfgang Williams, Caroline Donovan Boyd, Travis Ferguson, Ernest Truly, Mary Muldrew, Sarah Bing, Kether Hayden, Natascha Snellman, Ruben Bansie, Joseph Sackett, Jason Seitz, Shanti Cho, Spencer Callahan, Theara Sao, Tiana Woods, Griffin Goins, Maxim Horner, Thomas Trullinger, Ty Schwoeffermann;
Production year: 2003;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 81 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
“The Chumscrubber”, 2005
Director: Arie Posin
A darkly comedic film that explores the lives of suburban teenagers who become embroiled in a murder investigation. It critiques the emptiness of suburban life and the disconnect between reality and the characters' perceptions.
Starring: Jamie Bell, Camilla Belle, Allison Janney, Ralph Fiennes, Justin Chatwin, Lou Taylor Pucci, Thomas Curtis, William Fichtner, Rita Wilson, Glenn Close, Carrie-Anne Moss, John Heard, Rory Culkin, Jason Isaacs, Caroline Goodall, Josh Janowicz, Kathi Copeland, Tim DeKay, David Ellison, Richard Gleason, Susan Hegarty, Lauren Holly, Eric Jungmann, Jeffrey Vincent Parise, Laura Shanahan, Scott Spiro, Max Van Ville, Rachel Zeskind;
Production year: 2005;
Genre: drama, comedy, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 108 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,8;
More information about the film “The Chumscrubber” on the website imdb.com
“The Strangers”, 2007
Director: Bryan Bertino
While not exclusively about teenage killers, it features young characters caught in a terrifying home invasion by masked assailants, highlighting themes of fear and vulnerability in youth.
Starring: Scott Speedman, Liv Tyler, Glenn Howerton, Alex Fisher, Peter Clayton-Luce, Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks, Laura Margolis, Nick Barghini, Shawn McClellan, Jordan Orr;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: horror, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 86 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,1;
More information about the film “The Strangers” on the website imdb.com
“Jennifer's Body”, 2009
Director: Karyn Kusama
This horror-comedy centers on a high school cheerleader who becomes possessed and begins killing her male classmates. It examines themes of friendship, sexuality, and the complexities of female identity.
Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Kyle Gallner, Chris Pratt, Juan Riedinger, Sal Cortez, Ryan Levine, Colin Askey, Juno Rinaldi, Josh Emerson, Amy Sedaris, Cynthia Stevenson, Nicole Leduc, Aman Johal, Dan Joffre, Candus Churchill, Carrie Genzel, Emma Gallello, Megan Charpentier, Jeremy Schuetze, Valerie Tian, Emily Tennant, Karissa Tynes, Eve Harlow, Michael Brock, Genevieve Buechner, Adrian Hough, Gabrielle Rose, Michael Bean, Bill Fagerbakke, Marilyn Norry, Cut Chemist, Zoe Laliberté, Chelsey Smith, Whitney Chow, Michael Orstad, Ronnie Robinson, Ed Anders, Roxanne Wong, Diane Dutra, Maya Toews, Andrea Baker, Lisa Breitman, Cathy Cavadini, Lanei Chapman, Vicki Davis, Jeff Fischer;
Production year: 2009;
Genre: horror, comedy;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 102 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,5;
More information about the film “Jennifer's Body” on the website imdb.com
“Run Hide Fight”, 2020
Director: Kyle Rankin
This film follows a teenage girl who uses her survival skills to fight back against a group of armed assailants during a school shooting. It addresses the impact of violence on youth and the strength of the human spirit in crisis.
Starring: Isabel May, Thomas Jane, Radha Mitchell, Eli Brown, Olly Sholotan, Treat Williams, Barbara Crampton, Cyrus Arnold, Britton Sear, Catherine Davis, Kenneisha Thompson, Zachary Le Vey, Shelby Mayes, Cindy Vela, Tom Williamson, Joel Michaely, Desirée Fultz, Taylor Harris, Nate Boyer, Matthew Roy, CG Lewis, Corin Nemec, Ashley Wood, Desarae A. Dotson, Phuong Kubacki, Grady McCardell, James Healy Jr., Sahara, Garrett Schenck, Dawn Reavis, Linda Eicher, David Docobo, Nicci Bates, Danielle Hawthorne, Billionna Olivia Reyes, J.W. Hutson, Nicole Marie Johnson, Zahran Anwar, Bryan Massey, Amy Tang, Chandel Burgess, Dan Elijah Rudin, Miki Sun, Sergio John Myers, Carlos Sepulveda, Mary Deese, Gerardo Davila, Tori Carew, Brandon Germaine, Abby Miner;
Production year: 2020;
Genre: action, thriller;
Age: 16+;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,3;
More information about the film “Run Hide Fight” on the website imdb.com
“Tragedy Girls”, 2017
Director: Tyler MacIntyre
A horror-comedy that follows two high school girls who run a social media account dedicated to capturing real-life tragedies, including murders. The film satirizes the obsession with fame and social media while exploring the lengths to which the protagonists will go to gain notoriety.
Starring: Brianna Hildebrand, Alexandra Shipp, Jack Quaid, Kevin Durand, Timothy V. Murphy, Katie Stottlemire, Nicky Whelan, Elise Neal, Craig Robinson, Andy Bethea, Keith Hudson, Savannah Jayde, Austin Abrams, William Tokarsky, Marycarmen Lopez, Loren Lester, Rosalind Chao, Kerry Rhodes, Jenna Day, Sophia Mitchell, Lee Cruse, Tara Wescott, Gene M. Smith, Cameron Van Hoy, Jordan Lake, 'Amanda Rose' Amanda Rose Mattingly, Doug Mitchell, Bobby Akers, Kathlene Ashcraft, Lea Hutton Beasmore, Nicholas de Graffenreid, Megan Chelf Fisher, Lilith Fury, Josh Hutcherson, Kristina L. Ives, Niki Marie, Gina Omilon, Bethany Scearce, Justin Spicer, Tory Stolper, Jennifer Tolson;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: horror, comedy, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 98 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6;
These films provide a varied exploration of the complexities surrounding teenage killers, each offering unique perspectives on the motivations and societal factors that can lead to such extreme behaviors.
The selection of films about teenage killers delves into the complex and often disturbing portrayal of youth grappling with the darkest aspects of human nature. These films skillfully navigate the psychological and emotional turmoil of their young protagonists, offering a thought-provoking exploration of the societal and personal factors that lead to such harrowing actions. Each film in this selection presents a gripping and intense narrative that challenges the audience to confront the unsettling reality of teenage violence, ultimately leaving a haunting impression long after the credits roll.
