At the start, it's explained that there are four surviving "witch" families in New England-and then we're introduced to the four high school seniors who are the newest generation. They first received powers when they were thirteen years old, but when they turn eighteen they will "ascend", which means they'll receive the rest of the magical powers. But this power has a price-the more you use the magic the more it drains your body, so that it can prematurely age them if over-used. Unfortunately, this happened to the lead character's father, who is only 44 yrs but looks a hundred.
The primary story centers around Caleb Danvers (Steven Strait), who will be the first of his group to "ascend". He meets Sarah (Laura Ramsey), the new girl at their prep school, and they immediately fall for each other. Around this time another new kid appears, who just happens to be the last descendent of a fifth family, a family thought to have been killed off over three hundred years before. But no one had told him about the magic or that the more he uses it the more he becomes addicted to it. He's so addicted that he can't stop himself-and he wants to absorb the power of Caleb.
This movie, from the producers of the UNDERWORLD movies, is far better than I thought it would be. Directed by Renny Harlin, who more than makes up for his EXORCIST prequel.