I saw Winter's Tale yesterday, and the more I've been thinking about it the more it bothers me. I have not read the book, so I have no idea if these issues are better handled in the book, and unfortunately I think the movie may have soured me on trying it. If you've read the book, and can assure me these aren't issues, please let me know, because I loved the idea of the movie.
My big issue was the women. There are four characters, both main and sub, who are female. Not a horrid number to be honest. The problem comes when you look at what they represent. First there is the McGuffin, the character who exists for the hero to save. You know nothing about here, except she's a child with cancer and the hero saves her. Then her mother, who is barely present, and during a HUGE fight scene sits weeping and waiting for the hero to survive and save her child. Third the wise child/spirit guide for our hero. Then lastly, the woman whose entire existence is to give the hero long life so that he can complete his quest. You could argue on the last that since the hero's destiny is to save the McGuffin, the hero and his love are on equal footing, both existing for the purpose of someone else. Except it's no the McGuffin's story, it's the hero's, and so this woman's whole life was simply to save the hero so he could complete his quest.
All of them stereotypes, and none of them subverted.
The sad thing is, the bits of the movie that didn't annoy me I loved. I REALLY loved the whole angels and demons living and battling over humanity. Will Smith was fabulous. And the few moments when Pearly (a fabulous Russell Crowe) slipped and showed his true nature were frightening and SO COOL. I love magical realism, and modern fantasy. This SHOULD be exactly the kind of story I love. But not when the women were SO one dimensional and flat.