The Craft
The Craft is a 1996 American supernatural horror film centered on four outcast teenage girls who discover and hone their witchcraft abilities. Set in a Los Angeles parochial high school, the narrative explores themes of adolescent nonconformity, female empowerment, and the corrupting influence of power as the girls initially use magic for personal gain but face increasingly dire consequences. The film blends drama and horror elements, delving into dark occult practices and intense psychological struggles. It garnered mixed critical reviews upon release but has since achieved cult status, resonating with audiences for its portrayal of outsider experiences and its exploration of teenage angst through a supernatural lens.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe Craft features significant and at times graphic violence, often with supernatural elements, leading to severe consequences for the characters. The violence includes physical altercations, magically induced harm, and scenes depicting self-harm and attempted sexual assault.
Chris Hooker, a popular jock, is magically struck and killed by a car after harassing Sarah, an event the girls believe their combined will caused. During the film's climax, Nancy slashes Sarah's wrists and magically conjures a suicide note in Sarah's handwriting to frame her. Additionally, Chris's obsession with Sarah, induced by a love spell, turns violent, culminating in his attempt to rape her.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe film contains mature romantic and sexual themes, including implied sexual acts, seduction, and attempted sexual assault. These elements are central to the plot's progression and the misuse of the girls' powers.
After Sarah casts a love spell on Chris Hooker, his resultant obsession becomes violent, and he attempts to rape her when she rejects his advances. Nancy, using a glamour spell to impersonate Sarah, attempts to seduce Chris at a party, blurring lines of consent and identity. The film also includes 'implied oral sex' and 'discussion of sex' as part of its content descriptors.
Profanity
HighThe Craft includes frequent strong language and profanity throughout its runtime. The dialogue reflects the rebellious and angsty nature of the teenage characters.
Movieguide's review notes a high frequency of profanity, listing '31 obscenities & 10 profanities' within the film. The group of witches is famously referred to by their schoolmates as 'the bitches of Eastwick.'
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult practices are the central themes of The Craft. The film explicitly depicts rituals, spellcasting, and the invocation of supernatural entities, portraying these practices as a source of significant power and negative repercussions.
The four girls actively form a coven, performing various spells and rituals for personal gain, such as Bonnie wishing for beauty, Rochelle cursing her bully Laura Lizzie, and Nancy asking for power. Nancy invokes the spirit of Manon, a deity she claims is 'older, greater and wiser than God and the Devil,' leading to her increased instability and dangerous actions. The production even employed a practicing Wiccan as an on-set advisor to ensure the accuracy of the incantations and depiction of Wiccan subject matter.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe Craft contains significant scary and intense content, including supernatural horror elements, psychological terror, and disturbing imagery. This contributes to the film's R-rating and its overall dark tone.
The film includes 'grotesqueries' such as Sarah experiencing visions of snakes, rats, and gruesome insects attacking her, which evokes 'primeval fear.' Nancy's descent into madness after invoking Manon involves unsettling dream sequences and a dramatic transformation, including her body being transfigured into a mass of insects and snakes.
Anti-Christian Themes
HighThe film contains explicit anti-Christian themes, particularly through its positive portrayal of witchcraft and direct challenges to Christian theological concepts. Set in a Catholic school, the narrative often presents witchcraft as an alternative, powerful spiritual path.
The central premise involves girls attending a 'Catholic prep high school' who actively pursue and gain power through witchcraft. Nancy, as the coven's leader, explicitly claims that the deity Manon is 'older, greater and wiser than God and the Devil,' directly undermining Christian doctrines. Movieguide categorizes the film as having an 'Occult worldview commending witchcraft' and being 'a special effects propaganda piece for occultism and witchcraft,' describing it as a 'diabolical lesson in witchcraft.'
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe original film, 'The Craft,' is often interpreted as having queer undertones and has gained recognition as a 'queer icon,' partly due to its gay director, Andrew Fleming. While not explicitly depicting LGBTQ characters or relationships, critics and fans have found it to resonate with queer experiences of alienation and power. The sequel, 'The Craft: Legacy,' however, explicitly features LGBTQ characters and discussions.
The film's director, Andrew Fleming, is openly gay, which some critics and fans believe contributes to its 'queer sensibility' or 'dykier interpretation' of witchcraft themes for its era. One review suggests 'The Craft is just one of those movies that isn’t gay but is So Gay.' Although no explicit LGBTQ characters are present in the 1996 film, its themes of female bonding, alienation, and defiance have led to its inclusion in a 'queer girl canon' of 90s popular culture.
Substance Use
MediumThe film features depictions of alcohol use and references to drug use. These instances contribute to the depiction of the characters' troubled backgrounds and rebellious lifestyles.
Nancy, one of the main characters, lives in poverty with her 'alcoholic, ineffectual mother.' The Movieguide review also includes 'alcohol use' and 'smoking & reference to drug use' in its content warnings for the film.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumDisrespect and rebellion are core thematic elements, as the protagonist group consists of outcast teenage girls who defy societal norms and authority figures, often using their newfound powers to exact revenge.
The girls, dubbed 'the bitches of Eastwick' by their peers, are openly 'snidey to everyone outside their circle' and embrace their outsider status. Nancy famously declares, 'We are the weirdos, mister,' in response to a bus driver's warning, epitomizing the group's rebellious identity and rejection of conformity.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
The Craft (1996) is recommended for viewers aged 16 and older. The film contains strong themes of witchcraft and occultism, graphic violence including attempted sexual assault and suicide, frequent strong language, and mature sexual content. While exploring themes of empowerment, its dark tone and explicit content make it unsuitable for younger teens.
Additional Notes
The Craft (1996) is a dark exploration of power and consequences, often using the supernatural as a metaphor for adolescent struggles. Its sequel, The Craft: Legacy (2020), while featuring similar themes, is rated PG-13 and considered less violent and more 'socially aware', including explicit LGBTQ representation, such as a bisexual male character and an openly transgender female character. Parents should note the original film's intense psychological elements and the explicit nature of some of its mature themes.
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