This was a very stupid movie for a lot of reasons. First of all, Raimi's "lamia" isn't a lamia at all. He might as well have called it a cheeseburger or a ham sandwich, because they both share as much in common with a lamia as Raimi's little curse creation thingy. Also, Raimi relies all too much on the gushing-crap-in-her-face scares. There's nothing truly scary in this film, except the overarching message and the racial stereotypes. And what about that house the main character lives in? How the hell can she afford that? I realize it's not as scary to have the devil shadow thingy chase her through a 1-bedroom Glendale apartment, but come on. A junior loan officer at a bank -- even a smart one -- can't afford that.

And the message of the movie is deplorable. Ladies, don't try to be ambitious, and for fuck's sake don't even try to make sound financial decisions, especially the sort that would have kept our collective asses out of the sling we're in. Ooooh, no. Don't do it! Because you know what? You'll be dragged to hell for your efforts. Literally. So shame on you!

If Raimi had let her win in the end, I'd have forgiven him for this bit of shitting on women. In fact, that was the ending I was expecting. And before anyone gets on the "Well, All Horror Movies Are Misogynistic" train, I agree that most horror movies are of the variety that says, "It's a girl! Hit her with a stick!" And we're all sort of used to that, unfortunately. But this movie so blatantly comes out and says, "How dare you leave the farm and make anything of yourself, you blonde bitch. Get back where you belong or die trying," that I can't say I'm cool with it in the least.

It's shite.

I can't believe Dana is so nice to it.You'd think a smart woman would see through it and be sickened. So much for faith in woman kind. They're still stomping on each other's backs as they stampede the shoe sales, I guess.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but can't you just have fun at the movies without bringing in all the social implications? You must not like the Three Stooges, either. Please don't take it so seriously; it's just a horror movie.

"Just a horror movie."

No wonder this has become such a shite genre.

I'm sure, yes, that the intended message of the movie was antifeminist. Just as, if the character terrorized by the curse were male, it would be a pro-feminist screed against heartless men who hate old women. &c.

So sad that years of overdetermined critical theory have honed dull minds to a sharp enough edge they can smugly puncture water balloons, thus spoiling picnics everywhere.

With luck it's summer where you are and you can at the very least catch some obviously much-needed Vitamin D.

Matthew, it's not a water balloon when it's filled with acid.

When's the last time you got laid?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

wow, blacktech. casting snide aspersions along the lines of "you obviously don't get enough sex" REALLY undermines your arguments and makes me just wanna dismiss you as an immature yahoo and - clearly - a sex-starved geek. Project, much?

If you look for a misogynistic theme, you'll find one. It's kinda self-fulfilling.

I could just as easily argue that the 'male lack of empathy' was being pilloried, and the film was arguing that it is better to adopt a more female prudence towards finances.

I also can't help but notice that the three strongest characters were the heroine, the gypsy and the seance lady (I'm 'shite' with names), all of them female.

Also, I notice that in the film the female character positions herself for promotion through hard work and good results, while the male pushes for it by being aggressive, self serving, and slimy. In the end, the female gets the job; this set of events doesn't reflect well on men, does it?

So we have a film with strong women, where when in direct competition the female is clearly the superior and her undoing is submitting to a more 'male' behavior. Oh yeah, how misogynistic! But of course all this is nonsense... I highly doubt the Raimi brothers intended for this to be any more than an entertaining, somewhat gory, somewhat funny, horror movie. I really don't think they meant any Romero-esque "message".

Oh, and if you think that allowing extensions for homeowners with decades of good payment history on their mortgages is how we got into this financial mess, then you seriously do not understand it.

Gee, with a thread title called "drag me to the exit," it sounds like you liked it and didn't want to leave.

I'm with libertyforall on this one. The protagonist - and she is a protagonist - had to be male or female. Either way there can always be fault found and meanings read into it - just like real life. But she's just a PERSON, in a bad situation, with no good choice available. It's really pretty impressive the length to which the Raimis go to explain her motives and show the ambiguous thoughts she's wrestling with. There are a lot of details here that support the story that wouldn't be bothered with in the hands of lesser writers. Plus she does a pretty good damn job taking care of herself. She's no weakling.

No, they could have opted for a transgendered individual or a hermaphrodite or even a transsexual. Now that would be new school. Let's look beyond the simple male/female dichotomy that is so bourgeois and so 20th century.

Black tech, you're entitled to your opinion, but not only is it NOT misogynistic, its actually IS reflective of 21st century American proactive women.

In fact, all the male characters were relatively weak and ineffective. The boyfriend never actually took off work and really pampered her, he just came and went... so to speak.

His father facilitated the mother do to what she wanted. He didn't correct her pomposity.

The bank manager also facilitated the 'evil' committed by the heroine.

The Indian occultist accomplished nothing, except parting the boyfriend from his 10 grand.

In fact, the rival male bank employee was unethical and arrogant because of his fear of his father- signifying the fruitlessness of males every facet of society! This movie was MISANDROUS.

The Boyfriend should have jumped down on the tracks and saved her, he had about 15 seconds. If he wasn't such an emasculated intellectual, he would have grabbed her.

THIS MOVIE IS MISANDROUS. MEN ARE THE VICTIMS OF DELIBERATE CAMPAIGN TO EMASCULATE THEM !!!! Haaaarrrrrrummmmpf.