Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

The Craft is a legitimate cult classic that defined 90s goth-girl aesthetic and made Hot Topic a fortune. It's also genuinely dark, with a suicide attempt, sexual assault, and escalating violence that earns its R rating multiple times over.

The problem for modern families: it's both too intense for younger teens AND too dated for many older ones. The pacing drags by 2025 standards, the special effects look charmingly retro at best, and the whole vibe screams 1996 in a way that doesn't always land as cool nostalgia.

If you have a 17-year-old who's into witchy aesthetics, 90s culture, or horror films, this might work as a cultural artifact. But it's not a casual watch, and it's definitely not the empowering female friendship story the marketing sometimes suggested. It's a cautionary tale about power and revenge that happens to have killer fashion and a great soundtrack.

For most families, this stays on the shelf as 'interesting but not necessary.' The WISE score reflects that it's too dark to be wholesome, too problematic to be truly safe, and too dated to be genuinely compelling for modern teen viewers.

Age Fit

This is firmly for older teens (16+) who can handle R-rated horror content including suicide, violence, and sexual situations. The occult themes are intense and presented seriously. Not appropriate for middle schoolers despite the high school setting. Some mature 17-18 year olds might appreciate it as a cult classic, but it's genuinely dark.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

28

Four teenage girls use witchcraft for revenge, manipulation, and personal gain. The story centers on jealousy, bullying, power struggles, and escalating cruelty among the main characters. One character uses magic to make a boy obsessed with her, another causes a racist bully to lose her hair, and the group eventually turns on each other violently. The emotional tone is dark, vindictive, and models using supernatural power to harm others rather than cooperation or kindness.

Imaginative

72

The film's take on teenage witchcraft was genuinely fresh for its time and sparked real cultural interest in Wicca and occult practices. The visual effects of spells, the ritual elements, and the concept of four outsider girls discovering supernatural power together creates an engaging fantasy world. It invites viewers to imagine having transformative abilities and explores the 'what if' of real magic existing in a contemporary high school setting.

Safe

35

Contains suicide attempt (a character tries to kill herself by slitting wrists in a bathtub), intense violence including attempted murder, disturbing imagery (snakes, bugs crawling on bodies, graphic scarring), sexual content (underage characters discussing and engaging in sexual situations), substance use, and psychological horror elements. A character is sexually assaulted. The occult themes and dark magic are presented seriously, not playfully. This is firmly R-rated territory with multiple trigger warnings that would be shocking for younger viewers.

Enriching

42

The film does explore themes of female friendship, the dangers of power without responsibility, and the consequences of using abilities to harm others. There's a cautionary tale about revenge and obsession. However, the execution is more exploitation than insight—it's primarily interested in the spectacle of teenage girls doing dark magic rather than deep character development or meaningful moral exploration. The 'power corrupts' message is present but heavy-handed. Limited real growth or wisdom.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely influential 90s cult classic that defined an aesthetic and sparked real interest in Wicca
Explores female friendship dynamics and the seductive danger of power
Fairuza Balk's unhinged performance as Nancy is legitimately memorable
The special effects and ritual scenes still have atmospheric punch
Actually takes its supernatural elements seriously rather than making them a joke

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What to Watch For

Graphic suicide attempt scene that's disturbing and triggering
Sexual assault, underage sexual content, and manipulation through magic
Intense horror imagery including body horror, snakes, and insects
The entire premise is about using magic to hurt people—not exactly aspirational behavior
Feels very 1996 in pacing and style; modern teens may find it slow and dated

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the girls were so drawn to having power? What were they each trying to fix in their lives?"
"Nancy goes from being sympathetic to terrifying—what was the turning point for you?"
"The movie shows magic as having real consequences. Do you think power always changes people, or just some people?"
"How would you handle having abilities that others don't? Would it be tempting to use them for revenge?"

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