One of the best horror movies I have ever seen

Rating: 8/10 (7 October 2013)

I just saw this movie on SyFy Channel A very good movie. Plot, directing, editing – everything. One of the best I have ever seen.
Interestingly enough, it is also a very Christian movie. It contains two very powerful – and very Christian - messages. The first one is very simple; the second a bit more complicated. The plot focuses on loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), who tries to impress her boss (and win a promotion to assistant manager position) by 'being tough' and refusing to extend a mortgage to a gypsy woman. Hence, the latter loses her house. In retaliation, the woman places a curse on Christine that, after three days of escalating torment, will plunge her into the depths of Hell to burn for eternity. And, indeed, it does.
Hence, the first message. If you use your neighbor for your sinful purposes – be it money, fame, career advancement, etc. – you will go to Hell. Period. To be saved, you need to love and serve your neighbor, not use her (or him).
The second message is a little more complicated. Being an IT professional, I'd call it a multipart message. The first part is fairly common in American-made horror flicks. It shows how vulnerable to demonic forces is the modern 'post-Christian' American society (the European is vulnerable even more). By removing God, Christianity and the Church (I mean, Roman Catholic Church) from society, it removed all reliable defenses against demonic forces (that are, alas, all too real).
The second part is much more realistic than in your typical Hollywood- made horror movie. Usually, there is a happy ending – at least some characters manage to survive and destroy the demonic force in question (at least for now) without any support from the Church. Which is totally unrealistic as only the Church has enough power to do away with the forces of Evil.
Two notable – and realistic – exceptions are the very recent 'Conjuring' where the Evil is destroyed by a very Catholic exorcism (realistic happy ending) and this one (no less realistic unhappy ending). In this movie, the unfortunate loan officer tries all means available to save herself from inevitable Hell except going to the Church for help. In fact, the Church (or any Christian church, for that matter) is never even mentioned. Which leads to very predictable consequences – when the protagonist thinks she is safe and gets the coveted promotion, Evil suddenly returns and drags her to Hell.
A very Catholic ending. No salvation outside the Church. Period.