Ah, the 90s were a wonderful time indeed. I am sure everyone remembers The Craft, at least I hope you all do. It was like The Lost Boys, except with a stellar female cast and they just happen to be witches. It is a guilty pleasure for as it plays out like a darker, witchier version of Heathers, which is pretty awesome in my opinion. But since I am doing a whole month on Horror movies, it is time for a witch movie.
After killing her mother in childbirth, growing up in San Francisco with her father and stepmother, attempting suicide, and moving to Los Angeles, Sarah (Robin Tunney) makes a brief stab at popularity at her new Catholic high school. Ostracized due to the untrue kiss-and-tell tales of football player Chris (Skeet Ulrich), Sarah reluctantly befriends a trio of self-styled outsiders: the horribly scarred Bonnie (Neve Campbell), the trailer-trash Nancy (Fairuza Balk), and Rochelle (Rachel True), a frequent victim of anti-black prejudice at the hands of Laura Lizzie (former Marcia Brady and future Mrs. Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor). After exhibiting latent telekenitic powers in front of Bonnie, Sarah learns that her three new friends have chosen her as their “fourth corner,” the final member of their supernatural coven. Using tools stolen from a local incense-and-candle-filled boutique for practitioners of magic, the quartet summons the power of Manon, a primitive deity, to exact revenge on their tormentors and transform their lives. Drunk with power, they watch their spells get out of control, and the new coven soon realizes that with magic, “whatever you give comes back three-fold.” ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
I will admit, I had a thing for the coven of witches in this movie. I mean I was like 13 at the time so sue me. In part that is why I watched this movie and because it looked cool for the teen crowd it was marketed too. When I went back to rewatch this movie a few days ago, man I can’t get over how 90s this movie feels. It is fairly dated, but I still managed to enjoy the teenage romp into the occult and catty backstabbing that ensues.
The cast is really the best standout of this movie. Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell (swoon), Fairuza Balk (strangely swoon as well) and Rachel True all pretty much the reason to see this movie. They have a perfect harmony with one another and all the interaction feels natural and enjoyable. The slow decent into their powers is interesting to watch since each person takes to the witchcraft in a different way and it mirrors a lot of their personalities. It makes for a great ensemble cast and the good acting carries a lot of the problems with the movie, which just happen to be the overuse of the special effects.
I enjoy seeing witchcraft manifest on the screen, but man this movie just lays into a lot. The entire final act is just a mess with the effects, but the moments that they use it sparingly and in the best revenge ways possible, it is great to witness. It is a fun movie to watch, surely a good relic of the 90s and with a really recognizable cast to boot, The Craft is a good change of pace from the more scare-centric movies that dominated the mid 90s. The Craft has that sweet spot of being a strong teen movie with an interesting premise and story, but the effects end up overshadowing the movie and it kind of unravels at the end of the third act. Still, talking about this movie makes me want to watch it all over again.