php frameworks

what do you guys think about php frameworks?  is the mvc architecture a lost cause for this language?

i'm not impressed with cakephp and symfony, but code igniter looks like something i can actually use. 

I never really understood the idea behind web application frameworks. As I see it, they just restrain me.

I usually just write few lines that glue objects to URLs, drop in a simple template engine and be done with it. Later I can add whatever I need, be it catching or asynchronous ECMAScripts..

So, what can a framework do for me? Anyone care to enlighten?