A "suicidal" curse has been unleashed on a bible belt Southern town of Grovetown due to the murder of a practicing witch who was accused of killing a local in a nearby river. The suicide of the witch's son at the beginning of the film, specifying a chant from the Grimoire, invokes the curse causing it to spread from one victim to another after each individual is forced to kill them self by the conjured evil(..the evil is a reflection of them, their fate shown right before the victim dies). Aidan(Thomas Dekker), is the remaining family member of the witch, her son, until his cousin, Sadie(Margo Harshman)arrives. Lindsay(Elizabeth Rice), is a pretty, kind teenager who offers an olive branch to Aidan when he's attacked by the local minister's vocal son, Dylan(Kelly Blatz). Lindsay and Dylan are an item, but this relationship deteriorates over time due to their differences towards Aidan..to Lindsay, he's a suffering victim whose mother's murder was covered up as an accidental burning, while Dylan sees him as a weapon of the devil who must be put an end to for the safety of his Christian flock. When Lindsay herself receives the curse, she asks Aidan for help while Dylan sets out, with help by local believers, Roy(Adam Goldberg)and Paul(David Ariniello), to purge their town of the evil that exists within.
As typical of films like these, Christians(..and their faith)is presented as backwards, ignorant, antagonistic, overwhelming, intolerant, and overly aggressive, even to the point of resorting to cruelty and violence(..obviously those involved in the making of this film presented this as a symbolic reminder of the "Burning Times") The witches, however, are presented as innocent victims, suffering indignity and wrath for choosing to refrain from the religion of those around them, in turn, victimized for whatever horrors might take place, just for what they believe in. A murder(..by the local minister, no less, covering up a homosexual tryst with the victim)begets another..the witch receives the blame for the crime committed in her backyard and is executed for it. We witness how Christianity is a harmful threat, riddled with corruption, and those that oppose the religion, are set up for potential danger..it's a presentation that is often brought to the screen this way which is a shame, because not all Christians are such loud, chest-thumping tyrants willing to inflict such damage towards unbelievers. The film's supernatural threat resembles those often seen in the Asian revenge ghost genre, with the setting of a backwater town full of Christian bigots the relative difference. Some recognizable faces pop up such as Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's child, Rumer, as an early victim, Jared Harris as her father, and a completely unrecognizable Adam Goldberg as a vulgar, often imprisoned, representative of the trailer park community, who Dylan uses as an enforcer(..of, course!)to settle "conflicts of faith". Laura Allen stars as Lindsay's alcoholic white trash step-mother Trish and Brittany Robertson portrays her school pal, Claire. While the threat of the curse is recognized, the evil Christians, led by the domineering, confrontational Dylan, are presented as the ultimate weapon of destruction. Through the materializing friendship between Lindsay and Aidan, we see a developing uprising against her for "consorting with evil." Blatant manipulative writing such as this rather irks me because it often displays such a general disregard for those who believe in something the filmmakers clearly do not, and this provides them with an opportunity to demonize them..a pulpit to use Christianity as a horrifying threat to the world that must be stopped, and only can through witchcraft. Not particularly violent, we watch as terrified victims are confronted by their frightening mirror images, soon perishing when there's nowhere left to run.
As typical of films like these, Christians(..and their faith)is presented as backwards, ignorant, antagonistic, overwhelming, intolerant, and overly aggressive, even to the point of resorting to cruelty and violence(..obviously those involved in the making of this film presented this as a symbolic reminder of the "Burning Times") The witches, however, are presented as innocent victims, suffering indignity and wrath for choosing to refrain from the religion of those around them, in turn, victimized for whatever horrors might take place, just for what they believe in. A murder(..by the local minister, no less, covering up a homosexual tryst with the victim)begets another..the witch receives the blame for the crime committed in her backyard and is executed for it. We witness how Christianity is a harmful threat, riddled with corruption, and those that oppose the religion, are set up for potential danger..it's a presentation that is often brought to the screen this way which is a shame, because not all Christians are such loud, chest-thumping tyrants willing to inflict such damage towards unbelievers. The film's supernatural threat resembles those often seen in the Asian revenge ghost genre, with the setting of a backwater town full of Christian bigots the relative difference. Some recognizable faces pop up such as Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's child, Rumer, as an early victim, Jared Harris as her father, and a completely unrecognizable Adam Goldberg as a vulgar, often imprisoned, representative of the trailer park community, who Dylan uses as an enforcer(..of, course!)to settle "conflicts of faith". Laura Allen stars as Lindsay's alcoholic white trash step-mother Trish and Brittany Robertson portrays her school pal, Claire. While the threat of the curse is recognized, the evil Christians, led by the domineering, confrontational Dylan, are presented as the ultimate weapon of destruction. Through the materializing friendship between Lindsay and Aidan, we see a developing uprising against her for "consorting with evil." Blatant manipulative writing such as this rather irks me because it often displays such a general disregard for those who believe in something the filmmakers clearly do not, and this provides them with an opportunity to demonize them..a pulpit to use Christianity as a horrifying threat to the world that must be stopped, and only can through witchcraft. Not particularly violent, we watch as terrified victims are confronted by their frightening mirror images, soon perishing when there's nowhere left to run.