Some reviewers seem to have the wrong idea about this film. It is cleary not supposed to be scary, not in the traditional sense anyway and nor is it supposed to be another high school comedy. The nineties brought a resurgence of teen horror and comedy movies onto our screen, 90% of which are awful, but this one was different. The Craft refuses to be labeled as horror or comedy although it has strong elements of both, and it is more akin to Heathers than any other recent film. The humour is dark, biting, hitting at modern teen society, while the horror is psychological, dealing with transformation, our deepest personal fears, exposure of our secrets, and the the question of whether we can truly know or trust our friends and peers.
Campbell is as gorgeous as always, her performance is strong and convincing, showing a different side to her Party Of Five role. Balk is superb, taking her character by the teeth and plays with devilish relish. The rest of the cast is respectable, and both the script and effects are sharp, giving the movie a darker tone than any of its contemporaries. The clichés are there, with the outsider becoming the hero, but the result is never boring or predictable. Forget your knowledge of magic if you have any, and any preconceptions about teen movies, because this one is cool, dark, entertaining stuff.
The DVD has a few good extras, a short documentary being worthwhile. This can usually be picked up for less than a fiver, so snap it up.
As always, feel free to leave any comments- how faithful a portrayal of Wiccan lifestyle is the movie (if at all)? What else did you enjoy about the film?
The Spac Hole 