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Review #240 of 365
Film: The Covenant (2006) [PG-13] 97 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $11.25
Where Viewed: Harkins Cine Capri at Northfield 18, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 8 September 2006
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Directed by: Renny Harlin Written by: J.S. Cardone
Based on: Anthony Shaffer's 1973 screenplay
Featured Cast (Where I Remember Him/Her From):
Steven Strait (Sky High) • Sebastian Stan ("Law & Order" episode) • Laura Ramsey (She's the Man) • Taylor Kitsch (Snakes on a Plane) • Toby Hemingway ("Summerland") • Jessica Lucas (She's the Man) • Chace Crawford ("Long Lost Son")
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When I first read about The Covenant, about five teenage guys who attend a New England boarding school, School Ties, the film that launched the careers of Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Brendan Fraser came to mind immediately. And, while there are some striking similarities between the two films: there's a revealing locker room scene, everyone wants to get into Harvard, there's a blond beauty who emerges as the leading lady for one of the young men as well as the movie, there are young men hiding secrets about themselves, there's a stuffy school administrator who obviously cares more about the school's endowment and reputation than the kids in the school, there's mismatched romances, and a transfer student on financial aid, that's about all they have in common. While School Ties deals with the struggle of a young Jewish kid on a football scholarship to fit into a Christian community that has long looked down upon people of his religion who falls for a girl without telling her about his religion, and later gets framed as a cheater on a major exam pitting his friends and enemies against him as they sit on his judiciary committee to determine his fate. The film has incredible acting, possesses a poignant and powerful script; and, looking back, initially drew little notice but eventually became a cultural phenomenon and benchmark film of its time. Somehow, I don't see The Covenant, while it had a lot of potential, compelling quite the same aftermath simply because the story skirts the surface rather than really delving into themes and the characters. Hopefully, it is obvious from the title, and I'm not giving anything away by saying, the five guys are descendants of those labeled witches during the 1600s. Since the witch mythology has always served as the perfect venue for dealing with issues of prejudice and mistrust of those who are different, it isn't as if the writer and director couldn't have done this and made this generation's School Ties. You'll see what I mean in a second. Here's the basic outline which you can get from the preview. Five families descended from original settlers of the Ipswich Colony of Massachusetts, after watching so many of their peers burned at the stake during the Salem Witch trials, form a covenant of silence to protect the eldest sons of each family who biologically inherit untold power. Their power makes them able, literally, to do anything they want. Anything. They are like every super hero you've ever known rolled into one. They can hurl energy balls, turn into anything living or not living, fly, float, move matter, turn matter into anything else, transform into any person, and so on. Look, they can smash their Mustang at 75 mph into an on-coming semi-truck and reassemble whole on the other side after breaking into a million pieces. So, I'm not making this up when I say they can literally do anything. One thing we mere mortals did not know all this time, however, about the use of their powers was that there are two side-effects. First, using is addictive. Second, every time you use their powers no matter how slightly, it shaves time off your life. Using prematurely ages their body. Yes, folks, it’s the checks and balance at work in the universe. You can fly your Hummer off a cliff to escape the police; but, now instead of living to be 72, you'll only live to be 71. You can cause wind to blow up the skirt of a girl in a bar Marilyn Monroe style, but now you won't see your 71st birthday because you just lost a day. Meanwhile, you only get a taste of your powers when you turn 13. The full-on power enters your body when you ascend on your 18th birthday.
"…scary, creative, clever, and primed for a sequel…20-something cast is OC vs. Everwood worthy."
Four of the families of the Covenant stuck together for 300 years. The fifth was lost. Called the sons of Ipswich by the locals, the four boys are closing in on their 18th birthdays. Caleb Danvers (Steven Strait--pictured left), Pogue Parry (Taylor Kitsch--pictured right), Reid Garwin (Toby Hemingway), and Tyler Sims (Chace Crawford) from the remains of the covenant.
The film is relatively scary in a supernatural sort of way. Lately, I've been wondering about the PG-13 rating label. This film has, as previously mentioned, the naked rear ends of teenage guys and one girl. It depicts and glorifies underage drinking. There are some very scary scenes. Maybe it is time to add a PG-15 meaning that parents and guardians are strongly cautioned to consider the film carefully prior to allowing children under 15 to see a movie. Thirteen, I think is just still a bit too young for this movie. She's the Man was PG-13, and it contained no below the waist nudity, no teenage underage drinking, and no violent scenes.
Here's what the MPAA had to say about each film:
She's the Man rated [PG-13] "…for some sexual material."
The Covenant rated [PG-13] "…for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, sexual content, partial nudity and language."
Unless you read the fine print after the rating, as a parent or guardian, you are going to feel these two films fit into the same category. When in fact, the descriptions provided are quite different.
The Covenant is a fun movie in a lot of ways. It is scary, creative, clever, and primed for a sequel, but not in an unfinished sort of way. The 20-something cast is "OC" vs. "Everwood" worthy, and the 15-21 age demographic will probably find this film most satisfying with exceptions previously noted.
They all attend the same boarding school and are adored by the community and young women of the school equally for their charitable good work and upstanding nature. They are the stars of the school swim team, and their leader, Caleb, who will ascend first, is known for being a really good guy taking care of his mother after his father died. Sadly, his father could not quell his addiction to using his powers; and at age 41 he looked like he was 106. Naturally, Caleb's mother fears for her son and doesn't want him falling into his father's self-destructive ways. She has raised, despite being a bit of a snobbish woman, a very decent, charming, and upstanding son. New girl, scholarship transfer student, Sarah Wenham (Laura Ramsey--pictured left) at a pre-start of school woodsy catches Caleb's eye—for real. They are a sort of love-at-first-sight match made in 'heaven'. Another transfer student, Chase Collins (Sebastian Stan--pictured right), also shows up at the party.
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Everyone seems to like him, and he seems to fit in quite well with the sons of Ipswich. Over the course of the first few weeks of school, however, including the night of that party where one new kid ends up dead from some mysterious convulsions, strange things start to happen. Caleb and Pogue see darklings—smoke like creatures that torment witches—Sarah dreams of spider invasions, and thinks she sees people haunting the shower at night. Clearly, you don't have to be a rocket scientist or even see the preview, to figure out that the fifth son is back, and he wants revenge. As you can see, there was so much potential here for a new classic tale of dealing with being different and consequently ostracized and how this group has so buried their differences in order to fit in, they barely know to whom to be true. Instead, though, a decision to make this a story that focuses solely on revenge was made and it takes the plot down a very different path. True, it does test the integrity of Caleb as he must choose between his own power and the death of virtually everyone in the world he cares about. And to the end, Caleb will try to mount a one-man defense. He doesn't learn the power of working together to defeat a common enemy. His nobility and insistence that he must do this alone, unfortunately, does not come across as valiant as it might have were we given more reasons to respect him than inferences that he runs errands for his mother. This is very disappointing due to potential that existed. Aside from the wasted potential, I have only a one other main qualm with the film. These kids go to a boarding school, and yet, except for the one classroom scene, and the parties at night, we never see any other kids around. Sarah and her roommate, Jessica (Kate Tunney), seem to inhabit a gigantic dorm facility alone. There are never kids walking across campus, not one dining hall scene, nothing. That is just plain odd.
Click Still Photo to Purchase
The film is relatively scary in a supernatural sort of way. Lately, I've been wondering about the PG-13 rating label. This film has, as previously mentioned, the naked rear ends of teenage guys and one girl. It depicts and glorifies underage drinking. There are some very scary scenes. Maybe it is time to add a PG-15 meaning that parents and guardians are strongly cautioned to consider the film carefully prior to allowing children under 15 to see a movie. Thirteen, I think is just still a bit too young for this movie. She's the Man was PG-13, and it contained no below the waist nudity, no teenage underage drinking, and no violent scenes.
Here's what the MPAA had to say about each film:
She's the Man rated [PG-13] "…for some sexual material."
The Covenant rated [PG-13] "…for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, sexual content, partial nudity and language."
Unless you read the fine print after the rating, as a parent or guardian, you are going to feel these two films fit into the same category. When in fact, the descriptions provided are quite different.
The Covenant is a fun movie in a lot of ways. It is scary, creative, clever, and primed for a sequel, but not in an unfinished sort of way. The 20-something cast is "OC" vs. "Everwood" worthy, and the 15-21 age demographic will probably find this film most satisfying with exceptions previously noted.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring The Covenant (2006) Cast Members
Steven Strait • Laura Ramsey • Taylor Kitsch
Toby Hemingway • Jessica Lucas • Chace Crawford
Other Projects Featuring The Covenant (2006) Director
Renny Harlin
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The Covenant (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Five families descended from settlers of Ipswich Colony, Massachusetts, after watching many of their peers burned to death during the Salem Witch trials, formed a covenant of silence to protect the eldest sons of each family who biologically inherits untold power. Four of the families stuck together for 300 years. The fifth was lost. As the four, beloved, and revered sons of Ipswich: Caleb Danvers (Steven Strait), Pogue Parry (Taylor Kitsch), Reid Garwin (Toby Hemingway), and Tyler Sims (Chace Crawford) approach their 18th birthdays when they get their full powers, strange things happen in town pitting the boys against each other and against a new boy who transfers into their boarding school over the summer. This is an enjoyable movie: scary, creative, and primed for a sequel. The 20-something cast is "OC" vs. "Everwood" worthy, and the 15-21 age demographic will probably find this film most satisfying.
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