The Craft (1996)

After her family relocates to Los Angeles, shy Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) finds herself falling into a group of outcast girls who practice witchcraft. Nancy (Fairuza Balk) is their intense and cold-hearted leader, suffering from an abusive step father at home. Bonnie (Neve Campbell) is soft-spoken and highly self-conscious about severe burn scars running down her back and arms. Rochelle (Rachel True) is constantly terrorized by the racist and pompous Laura (Christine Taylor). Once Sarah joins their group, her innate powers boost their spells so that suddenly the girls' wishes start coming true. Bonnie's scars disappear and she gains self-confidence, Laura starts to lose her hair and as a result lays off the bullying, and the asshole (Skeet Ulrich) who badmouthed Sarah when she first arrived becomes obsessed with her and treats her like a queen.

Nancy desires ultimate power over the elements, and calls to the highest nature god to give her this gift. After gaining mastery, she sort of kills her step father, whose substantial life insurance policy goes to her and her mom. Of course, nothing this good can last long. Bonnie becomes a self-centered bitch, Laura is horrified by Lizzie's suffering but ignores it, and Nancy goes mad crazy with power. Sarah sees the changes in her friends and tries to curtail their magical doings, but the three of them turn against her. Now it's an all-out war on both physical and psychological levels.

The Craft is the kind of movie I would have really really been into in middle school or early high school. It's got girl power and magic, what else could one want? Seeing it now at 20 (almost 21!), I wasn't so engrossed. I like Fairuza Balk a lot, and here she was perfectly cast: she naturally has the look- especially the wild eyes- necessary for the part. Robin Tunney was really good too, playing the vulnerable but powerful high school girl very well. It was really nice to see such a female-heavy cast, especially in a story that didn't center around romantic escapades. It was more about the relationships girls form in high school and the mistrust that surrounds them constantly. And bullying is wrong, magic is awesome, etc. My main issue is that I couldn't take a lot of it seriously, but it wasn't campy enough to laugh at. I don't know if it's the writers not knowing the mood they wanted, a poorly executed screenplay in general, or just my own "maturity". Dig the hip 90's soundtrack, though, plus the effects were well-done. See it if you like witches in private school uniforms.

3.5/5

"How Soon is Now?"- The Smiths (also the Charmed theme song... coincidence?)