- Vivian has magic powers. She doesn't hesitate to save her boyfriend David from failing in school by murdering teachers. However, David has gotten tired of her and is putting his charm on a new girl in school, Robin. Robin discovers that she also has magic powers, and it comes to a mental showdown between the two women over David.—Mattias Thuresson
- In a darkened bedroom somewhere in suburban southern California, a cloaked figure confidentially works her way through some arcane ritual; an easy assumption judging by the décor and ephemera that definitely leans toward the 'eye of newt' and 'toe of frog' - not to mention the attentive black cat and the pentagram with the goat's head at the center hanging prominently on the wall that she beseeches to. At the center of this spell are a plea to Hecate (an ancient moon goddess and the patron saint of magic, witchcraft and necromancy) and a photo of a man that she chants over and then places in a metal bowl, which then bursts into flame. Meanwhile, the man in question falls victim to a horrible car accident and dies when his vehicle suddenly explodes for no explicable reason. Well, save one reason. As the cloaked figure pulls the hood back to reveal a young teenager with smug, self-serving smile smeared all over her face. Cut to the next morning, at the local high school, where we find out the girl in question is a senior named Vivian Sotherland (Anderson) and the person who died was her science teacher, Mr. Hildebrandt, who was apparently on his way to meet with the school's principal for cryptic reasons concerning Vivian when his car exploded. But Vivian easily charms and sways the principal when asked why, swearing she had no idea what the problem could've been and offers to take up a collection for the poor teacher's family. But we know this is all for show and a load of crap,and as the morning progresses, we get all kinds of hints that this isn't the first preternatural incident that Vivian 'wouldn't know anything about', including a bus crash that knocked out half the cheerleading squad, suddenly promoting Vivian to team captain, convincing them to adopt a goat as a mascot as well. (And not just any goat but an EVIL goat.) And believe me; you don't wanna know how she got to be class president. And then there's her estranged boyfriend, David Sterling (Cassidy), recently readmitted to school through more of Vivian's machinations after a drunk driving incident, where he parked his boss' van inside a sporting goods store. Seems David had some suspicions about his girlfriend, what with the football team's starting quarterback having a massive coronary, moving him to number one on the depth chart. (No second-stringers for our girl, Viv. No sir.) That, on top of all the weird and creepy crap she carries around, and the vague threats to Mr. Hildebrant, who was ready to flunk the floundering David, getting him kicked off the team, again, causing David to try and warn his teacher about her, which, alas, was all for naught and kinda backfired on him. Thus,David's downward spiral accelerates, in spite of Vivian's dire warnings to get his act together. And while everyone else thinks the spaced-out (and now tight-lipped) David is on drugs, he has no idea who to turn to next. But luckily for him there's a new girl in school, who gladly lends a sympathetic ear. Turns out Robin Prentiss (McDonough) is blessed (or cursed) with her own empathetic ability to read people just by touching them, and after a friendly handshake she knows David is harboring a terrible secret. But as these two get acquainted, Vivian has been spying on them the whole time and is bound and determined to nip this relationship in the bud. Once more turning on the charm, she tries to recruit Robin for the spirit squad (which already includes Vanna White and future Friday the 13th alum, Dana Kimmel), casting a spell that injures a girl to make an open spot, netting herself a snip of Robin's hair in the process, that I'm sure will be used for some nefarious purpose later. But this incidental contact gives Robin a terrifying read on Vivian as death incarnate. Then, David intervenes and pulls Robin away, warning her to stay away from Vivian. And once they're safely away, after a little more coaxing, David finally reveals the true scope of Vivian's supernatural and sociopathic reign of terror. But, as it turns out, Robin has been harboring some sinister secrets of her own. For you see, Robin's abilities go far beyond her internal mood-ring-o-meter, manifesting themselves telekinetically as well, which gives her a natural defense against some of Vivian's more blatant attacks. (Unfortunately, one of these spells ricocheted off her and struck her father with another one of those mystery coronaries.) These powers had started to haphazardly manifest themselves back in Connecticut. Among other things she accurately predicted a friend would go into a diabetic coma and was blamed by some people for it,which prompted her father to move them way out west to put some distance between his daughter and the suspicions of others when these abilities sparked off, often dangerously, with no rational explanation except his daughter was a freak. In fact, at first, while Vivian keeps hexing her, trying to cause bodily harm, as things start flying around her house, Robin thinks it's just her own out-of-control powers going haywire again.but,when her father gets knocked out of commission, Robin finally sees that the threat of Vivian is dangerously real and she must be stopped. Having read up on witches in an effort to derail his now ex-girlfriend, David knows a witch when he sees one and does his best to help Robin hone these abilities but soon realizes they need professional help,and so, they turn to Emily Moore (Ross), another self-proclaimed witch, who learns that Robin was the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, which is a pretty big deal in witchcraft; but her mother died giving birth to her, leaving Robin with no one to help her get control of these natural abilities,and after a decade of her father's browbeating of ignoring it and maybe it will just go away, the best advice Emily can give is to convince Robin to stop resisting her power and embrace it or she will have no chance against Vivian. To do this, Robin and David head to the park where she stretches her her powers a bit, moving things with her mind, and the romantic spark that had been flickering between them bursts into flame - just like the bush Robin mentally sets on fire and then puts out before threatening to levitate David and chasing him and falling into an embrace. Meantime, we also get a glimpse of Vivian's busted home life, where we find out she is also a seven of seven.Her father, Sherman, (Jump), a loading dock worker and struggling inventor, is blissfully unaware of what his daughter is cooking up in her bedroom, thinking it a science experiment, but he, too, has unwittingly benefited from her power when a sole rival for a big promotion met with an untimely accident, which will net Vivian a new car once the higher salary kicks in. He accuses his wife of being jealous of her own daughter because she's the only one of their seven children that hasn't turned out a loser and is going to make something of herself. The other six have gotten into various troubles like dropping out of school and marrying losers, and seldom visit.Her mother, meanwhile, is actually fully aware of what her daughter has been up to.A witch herself, Diane (Damon) is constantly chastised by Vivian for squandering her power by abandoning it and settling for living in "a dump",and the lumpy potato "simple Simon"parked in front of the TV in the other room. When her mother says her father is a good man who loves her with all his heart she replies "His choice not mine" Wanting it all, and willing to do anything to get it, Vivian ignores her mother's warnings about the price of such things,and judging by her expression, she knows of what she speaks,and when Diane threatens to stop her, her calcified skills prove no match for Vivian and she is easily and thoroughly defeated when Vivian psychically breaks the water glass in her hand,cutting her.Diane cleans the blood and glass off her hands as Vivian smiles and walks away. Thus free of any repercussions, Vivian's supernatural assault on Robin continues unabated, including a nocturnal visit from her familiar, which quietly pads its four-legged way into her house and knocks an oil lamp over. (Was the cat doing this by command or is it just an asshole who likes to knock crap over.) Luckily, David took it upon himself to keep a vigil, spots the flames, and manages to get Robin out before the fire and smoke consume her. Then a flock of compelled crows attack the couple inside the van nearly causing another horrendous crash. They knock one crow out on the street and it transforms into a screaming Vivian. When all of her efforts fail, and realizing she's about to lose David for good, Vivian confronts her arch-nemesis at the school and drags Robin off to the deserted shop classroom to deliver an ultimatum, giving her two days to clear out or the consequences will be lethal. Undaunted, Robin tells Vivian to go screw herself, triggering a nifty psychic brawl of flying lumber and power tools. And while Robin valiantly holds her own, this match ends in a draw when the shop teacher blunders in just as the sawdust settles,and once Vivian sends him packing with some conjured evidence of statutory rape in the parking lot, she reminds Robin that she has two days to leave or she won't be alive on the third. Knowing she is well-outclassed and needing an edge, Robin and David set out to raid Vivian's house when she and her family are out, looking for some hair and personal items they can use with Emily's help to divine a spell against her, they managed to escape Vivian's cat,but this backfires when Emily discerns that Vivian is a rare Hectite, a disciple of Hecate, whose powers increase during the full moon, destined to rise the next night. Encouraged to get out of town until the moon cycle is over, Robin refuses to abandon her father, recently released from the hospital. Told in no uncertain terms to meet with Vivian, Robin and David hole up at her house, determined to wait out Vivian's threat - until the phone rings. It's Vivian, who threatens to kill her father and David if Robin reveals who the caller is and to meet with her in secret at the high school, alone, or else. Thus, with the full moon hanging fat in the sky, Robin sneaks out of the house and enters the football stadium as instructed. From out of the shadows she hears the approach of cloven hooves, which turns out to be Vivian's pet mascot, whose impact sends her tumbling down the stairs. Knocked for a loop, Robin tries to get her bearings, but Emily's talismans and charms prove worthless, and with a wave of her hand Vivian renders Robin unconscious. And when she comes to, Robin finds herself stuck to the mooring pole in the middle of the wood-pile gathered for the upcoming homecoming bonfire. The irony of this is not lost as Vivian gloats over her classic choice to dispose of her rival. And with another wave of her hand, the fire ignites. And as the flames lick ever closer to our heroine, she appears to be doomed until help arrives from a most unexpected source. Vivien tells Robin she should thank her for her kindness considering what the punishment for witchcraft could be and has been throughout the ages, but she prefers the classic, the burning. "Burn witch burn!" But Diane suddenly shows up having followed her daughter and pleased with her to stop. Vivian screams that she can't stop her and start to psychically cut her wrists. Diane shouts to Robin that they must combine their powers, and they do. Robin is able to free herself with Diane's help.Vivian angrily hurls flaming debris after her. Diane start screaming "My fault!" over and over again, and runs at Vivian and grabs her and throws herself and Vivian into the fire. David runs up and consoles the horrified Robin as Vivian and her mother are burned to a crisp in the flaming pyre. David swears he will help her and be with her as she struggles to understand and control her own powers, and gets her out of there before the fire department arrives.
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