The Craft

Name: The Craft
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror
Released: May 3, 1996
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Assumpta Serna, Breckin Meyer, Christine Taylor, Cliff De Young, Fairuza Balk

1996

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 118 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 118 Ratings

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The Craft

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: May 3, 1996 | R

Starring: Assumpta Serna, Breckin Meyer, Christine Taylor, Cliff De Young, Fairuza Balk, Nathaniel Marston, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Robin Tunney, Skeet Ulrich

Summary: A newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who anger them.

Director: Andrew Fleming

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 101 min

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Critic Reviews

Mick LaSalle

The young actresses are superb, and they make an appealing, believable group of friends. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

The Craft casts a spell with a cast of four kicky young actresses, atmospheric California settings, cool special effects and the attitude of a music video. [03 May 1996]

Kevin Thomas

The Craft is well-made with a hard-driving pace. It places heavy demands on its four lead actresses, who come through in impressive fashion. Director and co-writer Andrew Fleming makes sure he and his stars deliver the goods. [03 May 1996, p.F16]

Emanuel Levy

Four gifted and attractive actresses struggle hard to lend a semblance of dramatic coherence to The Craft, a neatly crafted film that begins most promisingly as a black comedy a la Heathers, but gradually succumbs to its tricky machinery of special effects. Still, young audiences, particularly women, are likely to connect with this energetic high-school tale about the vengeful empowerment of rebellious misfits. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The movie’s failure is one of imagination. It tilts too far in the direction of horror and special effects, when it might have been more fun to make a satirical comedy about punk teenagers. Read full review

John Hartl

Ultimately there's more guilt than pleasure to be found in The Craft. [03 May 1996]

Rene Rodriguez

This tale of teenage witches run amok is silly, juvenile stuff, and it doesn't even have the decency to stick to its own ridiculous logic. [03 May 1996, p.6G]

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User Reviews

Tendril28

May 29, 2021

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2 of 7 users found this helpful25

Agrarian986

May 20, 2021

⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
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1 of 5 users found this helpful14

Rcavey92212

Jul 28, 2020

With the threat of a new version I decided to revisit this childhood classic of mine which actually inspired me and my friends to try goth for a couple months, or maybe it was just me, lol. Well the movie holds up surprisingly well and some part of that may be due to nostalgia but I reallyWith the threat of a new version I decided to revisit this childhood classic of mine which actually inspired me and my friends to try goth for a couple months, or maybe it was just me, lol. Well the movie holds up surprisingly well and some part of that may be due to nostalgia but I really loved it, maybe even more than before. Robin Tunney(End of Days) stars as Sara the new girl at school who falls into a group of outcast witches after being burned by the popular kids. Once she joins the coven the stars align and they begin to experience some real power. The only problem is the maniacal and charasmatic leader Nancy played by a feisty Fairuiza Balk (Island of Dr. Moreau) gets power hungry and takes her vengeance to another level. Rachael True (Half Baked) and the always awesome Neve Campbell star as the other two members battling their own problems and insecurities. What makes the film work so well is the sisterhood and sometimes twisted friendship of these girls. They feel genuine and their stories are relatable as they deal with every day problems ranging from rumors to racism, abuse and body issues. The witchcraft is an added bonus and unlike most films of it's kind it delivers on that aspect including a slightly short but effective finale. Christine Taylor (Brady Bunch), Skeet Ulrich (Scream) and Breckin Meyer (Clueless) also star. The film is confidently directed by Andrew Fleming of one of my favorite 80s flicks Bad Dreams with a screenplay by Peter Filardi of Flatliners. It also features an amazing soundtrack with songs by Our Lady Peace, Letters to Cleo, Love spit love and more. I'm sure who's ever reading this has a love for this film as I do, so maybe it's time for a revisit.

Budget: $15M
Box Office: $55.6M

9/10… Expand

49 of 51 users found this helpful492

Bisect

Apr 16, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In the scene as the four girls enter on to the beach to invoke the spirit they each carry an animal familiar that represents themselves or their wants. Rochelle carries a clown fish - her hobby is diving and the pool is featured where her bully Laura-Lizzie bullies her. Bonnie carries a butterfly - it represents beauty this is in reference to her scars. Sarah carries a budgerigar - a budgerigar is also related a "Love bird" which is what she wanted Chris to be in love with her. Nancy is a snake - A snake is rebirth and renewal as Nancy wanted a better life for herself and her mother including power and being a leader.… Expand

4 of 10 users found this helpful46

Chignon24

May 10, 2021

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7 of 15 users found this helpful78

Excommunicado

Jan 19, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One scene involved using over 3,000 snakes including pythons, boas, water snakes, garter snakes, rat snakes, and a 10-foot Amazon constrictor - even rare albino snakes.… Expand

18 of 18 users found this helpful180

HellHoleHorror

Feb 16, 2022

Some of the effects were good and some were pretty ropey. Look at the floating scene and then look at the colour-changing hair scene. Worlds apart in terms of convincing! Watched in stereo and it was fine. Nothing notable. This is not scary or shocking! It is a bit gross. It is also a teenSome of the effects were good and some were pretty ropey. Look at the floating scene and then look at the colour-changing hair scene. Worlds apart in terms of convincing! Watched in stereo and it was fine. Nothing notable. This is not scary or shocking! It is a bit gross. It is also a teen movie. It has a lesbian feel. The main girls are sometimes great but other times annoying. I found some plot turns very forced. It is a predictable cliché of a witch movie that fails to make a good impression. Not that great at all. Reminded me of a TV-movie made for SyFy.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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91	#91 Best Movie of 1996
12	#12 Most Discussed Movie of 1996