Coven

The other problem with this supernatural horror tale is how little of its world the screenplay explores. Written by star Lizze Gordon, things happen a little too conveniently to be entirely believable. Are all these witches from this same town? Or, after hundreds of years of growing family trees and moving, were they drawn to this location by some unknown allure? How did they discover they were all witches descended from the same ancient coven? How specifically Sophie’s mom plays a part in all this, aside from issuing vague warnings, remains unclear for far too long. This means that despite the stakes at hand – giving up your soul to become all-powerful and destructive – the film feels rather small.

But there is still plenty to enjoy about Coven. Despite the character’s being a bit underwritten and the plot being undercooked, the actors are all rather good. While I am not sure why they’re all prancing about in lingerie to perform their spells, the quintet is pretty believable. Cipolla’s power-hungry and vicious but charismatic attitude means that it is believable that the others would fall in line. Margot Major’s comedic timing makes her overly talkative manner a quirky, endearing trait as opposed to a put-off.

“Despite the character’s being a bit underwritten…the actors are all rather good.”

But the secret weapon of Coven is Lizze Gordon as Sophie. She is mesmerizing in the role, keeping the audience engaged even when the story cannot. From her initial rebuffing of Beth’s friendly, over-eager advances to her longing to reconnect with her mom, Gordon imbues Sophie with a strength and intensity that will propel her to stardom one day. For all the other good in the film, the reason to watch it is Lizze Gordon. Period.

While the actors are fantastic, the movie works on several other levels as well. Margaret Malandruccolo keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, so Coven never drags and is never dull. She also balances the tone well, so the drama feels high stakes but is not at odds with some of the characters’ more bubbly personalities. Also, the history and lore of the witches in the area, Ashura in particular, is interesting. There’s just not enough of it to make it all make sense.

Coven might be a bit predictable, have poor effects (even considering its limited budget), and not expand its story enough to be genuinely enthralling. But it is well-directed, moves quickly, and the action scenes are fun. Plus, the cast, especially screenwriter Lizze Gordon in the lead role, is pure dynamite, as all the actors prove their worth throughout the entire runtime. If you’ve already seen The Craft a bajillion times and want something similar, even with its flaws, this is the movie for you.