The Craft

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1:49

The Craft

R

1996

1h 40m

Horror

Play Trailer

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

57%

Tomatometer

60 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

After transferring to a Los Angeles high school, Sarah (Robin Tunney) finds that her telekinetic gift appeals to a group of three wannabe witches, who happen to be seeking a fourth member for their rituals. Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Rochelle (Rachel True) and Nancy (Fairuza Balk), like Sarah herself, all have troubled backgrounds, which combined with their nascent powers lead to dangerous consequences. When a minor spell causes a fellow student to lose her hair, the girls grow power-mad.

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Critics Consensus

The Craft's campy magic often overrides the feminist message at its story's core, but its appealing cast and postmodern perspective still cast a sporadic spell.

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

10/23/2020

B-

I really enjoy the characters. Every single one of them is very unique and the film does an excellent job at fleshing out each girl.

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Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

12/06/2018

1.5/4

What can you say about a movie that seems to have been conceived like a trailer and written in exclamation points and gets stolen by the cinematographer?

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Wally Hammond

Time Out

12/06/2018

4/5

... deliciously dangerous excursions into adolescent self-discovery.

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Sean Collier

Box Office Prophets

05/21/2021

8/10

The Craft ... has a legacy that outweighs both its limited success and few flaws.

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Nick Levine

NME (New Musical Express)

05/10/2021

Set to a banging alt-rock soundtrack, it follows four teenage outcasts who begin dabbling in the dark art of witchcraft, and soon find themselves out of their depth.

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Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

12/30/2020

2.5/5

Masquerades as a female empowerment film despite prioritizing the toxicity that can be rampant in groups of friends (female or otherwise).

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Affleberry F

@JimSnow May 31

A fun 90s horror/thriller. Great story, great cast, can't go wrong.

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Brian M.

@RT32276912 May 10

Pretty good. Wish it was a series as it felt rushed.

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Dec 19

The Craft has undeniable atmosphere and a strong cult appeal, capturing ’90s teen angst with a glossy occult edge. Its premise — outsiders discovering power and identity through witchcraft — is genuinely compelling, and the aesthetic still resonates. However, the film never fully commits to exploring its darker themes, opting instead for a rushed third act and underdeveloped character arcs. Performances are uneven, and the script often trades psychological depth for surface-level cool. Stylish and memorable, but thematically shallow, The Craft is enjoyable more for its vibe than its execution.

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Sebastian D

@de_Baviera Nov 9

A Dated Teen Witch Mess. The Craft is a dated teen horror that squanders its witchy premise with clichéd drama and shallow scares, turning potential empowerment into vapid fluff. Robin Tunney’s Sarah hints at vulnerability, but the coven—Fairuza Balk’s Nancy, Neve Campbell’s Bonnie, Rachel True’s Rochelle—comes off as interchangeable stereotypes, their arcs diluted by predictable revenge and romance tropes. The LA visuals and spells evoke 90s mood, but the third act devolves into campy excess with cheesy effects that undercut tension. What could have been a sharp take on teen angst and the occult becomes a formulaic slog, recycling tropes without the depth to elevate them. The 1996 YA wave deserved more; this cult fave charms nostalgically but fails to cast a lasting, meaningful spell.

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Danny K.

@CelticCur Nov 6

One of my favorite movies.

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Ed R

@JustcallmeER Oct 31

An absolute classic and must watch every year!

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Andrew Fleming

Director

Robin Tunney

Sarah Bailey

Fairuza Balk

Nancy Downs

Neve Campbell

Bonnie

Rachel True

Rochelle

Skeet Ulrich

Chris Hooker

The Craft: Official Clip - You're Going to Kill Yourself Tonight

3:21

The Craft: Official Clip - Blessed Be

2:54

The Craft: Official Clip - One Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars

2:40

The Craft: Official Clip - Nancy Walks on Water

2:02

The Craft: Official Clip - Snakes For Sarah

2:08

The Craft: Official Clip - As I Will It, So Shall It Be

1:40

The Craft: Official Clip - Light As a Feather, Stiff As a Board

2:11

The Craft: Official Clip - Relax, It's Only Magic

2:20

The Craft: Official Clip - He's Gotta Pay

2:59

The Craft: Official Clip - I Bind You, Nancy

2:44

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The Craft: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After transferring to a Los Angeles high school, Sarah (Robin Tunney) finds that her telekinetic gift appeals to a group of three wannabe witches, who happen to be seeking a fourth member for their rituals. Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Rochelle (Rachel True) and Nancy (Fairuza Balk), like Sarah herself, all have troubled backgrounds, which combined with their nascent powers lead to dangerous consequences. When a minor spell causes a fellow student to lose her hair, the girls grow power-mad.

Director: Andrew Fleming
Producer: Douglas Wick
Screenwriter: Peter Filardi, Andrew Fleming
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video, Columbia Pictures, Columbia Tristar
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 3, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.7M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Stereo, SDDS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)