Craft, The MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -3

When Sarah (Robin Tunney) moves to town, she has no idea she will become involved in a witches' coven. A fairly normal teenager, Sarah makes three new friends at her Catholic prep school. Nancy (Fairuza Balk), the leader, wears punk clothes and dog collars. Shy Bonnie (Neve Campbell) has burn scars on her back, and finally, Rochelle (Rachel True) is one of the few African-Americans at school who is constantly being picked on by other students. The three girls, along with Sarah, form an impromptu coven which progresses into serious magic. At first, everything seems great as Sarah puts a love spell on a boy she likes, Bonnie gets rid of her scars and Rochelle gets even with one of her persecutors. But as the foursome is drawn deeper into the occult, Nancy starts to use spells to hurt people. Some spectacular special effects help the predictable storyline and the excitement of the film enhances its entertainment appeal.

According to the witches, a force other than God or the devil is everything and is in everything. It is this power, which includes both good and evil, that witches use. The only difference between good and bad witches is which part of the power they tap into. By the end of the movie, Sarah becomes the good witch and has mighty powers to use for the benefit of others. What a distortion and glamorizing of the occult! Along with this deceptive message comes much foul language and some violent scenes where one boy is thrown out of a two-story window and a man is graphically run over by a truck. Also, in a fit of anger, one of the witches fills a house with snakes and insects. These teenagers drink, smoke and in one scene begin sexual intercourse before they are interrupted. THE CRAFT will frighten some away from witchcraft. But its portrayal of the occult as exciting and its power to control others could entice impressionable viewers to try witchcraft. This is the real danger of THE CRAFT.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232