hotkarl604
- Apr 11
- 2 min read

From Raunch to Icon: How Van Wilder Became a Gen Z Must-Watch

Updated: Apr 23

Includes clips from the film remastered for vertical viewing on mobile

In an era of film defined by raunchy humor, the master's of the genre, at National Lampoon's caught us all off guard a bit with Van Wilder. After struggling to produce a major hit since Christmas Vacation, National Lampoon's returned to the campus humour that put them on the map in Animal House (1978). A bold strategy, that I don't think anyone really expected them to pull off. The magic of Van Wilder isn’t just in its humor, but in the breakout performances by Ryan Reynolds and Kal Penn. Reynolds, with his effortless charm and razor-sharp wit, and Penn, bringing an over-the-top performance that still managed to fall into a supporting role and perfectly complemented Reynolds, turning this hail-mary film into a cult classic. In my opinion, and dare I say, in the opinion of anyone who’s watched it, it’s one of the best college movies ever made.

Yet, there’s a touch of nostalgia and a hint of melancholy when we talk about Van Wilder. It marked a high note for National Lampoon's, a reminder of their glory days, but also a swan song. Now it needs to be stated that Loaded Weapon, released by National Lampoon's in 1993, wasn't a total flop with a box office of $51 million compared to a budget of $8.2, and it was actually a great parody film. But it was tame in comparison to the Naked Gun and Hot Shots franchises, so was seen by many as a flop. Everyone thought Van Wilder might be their comback movie, but they never really hit the mark again. It’s bittersweet, knowing such a groundbreaking film was also a bit of a final act for them.

So, why should you, a Gen Zer, care about a movie from two decades ago? Because Van Wilder is timeless. It’s about the universal college experience, the quest for identity, and the kind of epic party scenes only the early 2000s could dream up. It’s a reminder that before memes and viral videos, humor was about storytelling, outrageous antics, and characters that felt like they could be your outrageously over-the-top friends. And that somehow, amongst raunchy humor like bulldog semen and floating testicles, a movie can capture a positive and inspiring message filled with wisdom and charm.