Sony didn't even show this to critics in Seattle, not sure if that was the case elsewhere and I don't really care, that didn't stop me from wanting to see it. Just by watching the trailers you already know this isn't going to be an Oscar contender, but it had the potential for 90 minutes of mindless entertainment, and while the acting is atrocious The Covenant almost manages to fit the bill. With mindless achieved it forgets to be entertaining, at least to a level that I would recommend you buy this DVD.

Starring Steven Strait as the only name you will possibly recognize and directed by Renny Harlin (Exorcist: The Beginning and Mindhunters) this is a cheap imitation of The Lost Boys, only difference being the PG-13 rating and the extremely simple plotline. Where Lost Boys had a bit of a twist, a lot of '80s camp and the R-rating to keep fans happy The Covenant is more of a made-for-TV special with an inflated budget, and I'm cool with that as long as the movie is good, but it's not.

The film focuses on a group of four teens that are part of an ancient covenant. They each possess dangerous powers that if not kept under control could make them gods, but at the same time have the potential to destroy them. At the age of 18 they will "ascend" and their powers will be at their strongest, as Caleb is the first of the group to approach this monumental occasion something is stirring in town and it has a lot to do with the new boy... Chase. Oh man, Chase is a baddie and his secret runs deep, so deep that it might just kill Caleb and reveal the secret of the covenant, a secret that has been kept quiet for over 300 years.

Simply put The Covenant is a group of non-actors (all of them) getting together to make a movie with a director that, at one time, had the potential to make it big after both Cliffhanger and Die Hard 2. Instead he decided going the route of mindless and hoping for entertaining. Harlin has tackled such films as Driven, Mindhunters and Exorcist: The Beginning and while his commentaries are always interesting and informative he never seems to learn from his mistakes, of which he has no problem pointing out. Perhaps Harlin doesn't care how good his films are; perhaps all he cares about is making them good enough to get released. A feat Mindhunters almost didn't accomplish.

On top of Harlin's commentary there is a mini making of featurette included that doesn't really do anything more than the generic.

The Covenant did have potential, especially if they had given the boys more powers other than a glorified Star Wars-style Force push, and if they had hired real actors, or at least people that did more than snarl at the camera. Really, the acting in this is so bad these kids will be hard pressed to get real acting roles for about two years.

Purchase The Covenant at your own risk. Your best bet may be a midnight rental when there is nothing else available. I was intrigued just as you probably were if you are reading this, but it really can't live up to the intrigue and falls way short of any comparison to The Lost Boys, which remains the better bet if this is your fancy.