The Craft (R)

Campy teen witch thriller more violent than fun.

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Movie details

Studio: Sony Pictures
Directed By: Andrew Fleming
Cast: Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, Robin Tunney, Rachel True, Skeet Ulrich
Running Time: 101 minutes
Release Date: 07/24/1996
Video/DVD Release Date: 09/12/2000
Genre: Horror
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA Explanation: some terror and violence, and for brief language

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this teen Wiccan movie with attractive stars is really about violence and revenge. Several of the characters die graphically, are threatened with death, or are the subject of a death plot. One character is almost raped on-screen. The film also depicts one family with alcoholic, abusive parents. Wiccan and occult practices, real and imagined, are on display in a way that may seem cool to teens. Also, even though this looks like a girl-power movie, it's quite the opposite. It makes it look like the girls are to blame for the things they've been through -- the moral that what you do comes back 10-fold seems to indicate that they should just shut up and take whatever happens to them.

Families can talk about religion: Some consider Wicca to be a true religion that worships the earth. What do you think? How does it compare with other conventional religions? What's the difference between Wicca and Satan worship?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

One character abuses Rochelle because she's black, saying, "I don't like negroids." There's lots of revenge and cruelty on all sides.

Consumerism:

A bus has an ad for Benetton. The girls watch an episode of Bewitched.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

All the teens drink beer and liquor and smoke lots of cigarettes.

Violence

A lot of imagined and "real" violence: People are stabbed repeatedly, electrocuted, almost raped, and fall from windows and die. A man gets hit by a truck (his head and body are visible under the tires), and a married couple has a physical fight. Sarah tried to slit her wrists and has scars from it. Bonnie experiences a painful medical procedure involving a large needle. The girls all prick their fingers and put blood in a cup along with wine.

Sex

Lots of talk about getting laid and veiled references to STDs. Sarah kisses Chris and later he spreads a rumor about her being bad in bed even though they didn't have sex. Nancy masquerades as Sarah and has sex with Chris. Bonnie sits shirtless covered by a blanket. Only her back is exposed.

Language

Some swearing, including "hell," "bitch," "asshole," "s--t," "f--k," and "ass."

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Heather Boerner

This is a sinister tale of teenage power and witchcraft. Sarah (Robin Tunney) is new to St. Benedict's Academy in L.A. and looking for friends when Bonnie (Neve Campbell) decides she’s the perfect choice for her witch’s coven. Soon, Sarah, Bonnie, Rochelle (Rachel True) and ringleader Nancy (Fairuza Balk) are casting spells to get even with their high school nemeses. But their spells begin backfiring in dangerous and disturbing ways, and Sarah, the only "natural witch" in the bunch, must protect herself and those she loves from this power she's unleashed.

Is it any good?

What's odd about The Craft is its sneaking moral: It's supposed to warn girls against resentment and revenge, encouraging them to "do unto others as they would have done unto them," as Wiccan mentor Lirio (Assumpta Serna) says. That's all well and good, but there's also a blame-the-victim mentality here. So they'll get back what they have sown three-fold. Does that mean that Sarah deserves to be raped? Does that mean that Nancy, arguably the most damaged from an abusive childhood, deserves to be locked up? Does the epic battle between Nancy and Sarah really mean that there can only be one Queen Bee, one mean girl? Should they have stood up for themselves in some other way, or simply acquiesced to the abuse around them? These are questions teen viewers should consider.