DRAG ME TO HELL review by Mark Walters

I love me some Sam Raimi. His movies through the years have always impressed me in one way or another, with possibly the one exception of SPIDER-MAN 3, though I think much of that film's flaws could be shared in blame with the studio. But Sam became famous for his wild and wacky take on the horror genre. Films like EVIL DEAD and the even wilder (and in many minds superior) EVIL DEAD 2, and let's not forget the epic ARMY OF DARKNESS, Raimi has solidified his reputation as a legendary horror director. But since those days he's experimented with a variety of other genres, including dramas like THE GIFT and A SIMPLE PLAN, and big-budget blockbusters like the SPIDER-MAN trilogy. Many wondered if Sam would ever return to his roots... and now that day has come, with his newest film DRAG ME TO HELL.



Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is an ambitious bank loan assistant competing with an overly-aggressive co-worker for an assistant manager position at her bank. The boss Mr. Jacks (David Paymer) feels Christine may be the perfect selection for the promotion, but wants to see some initiative from her first. Her boyfriend Clay (Justin Long) loves her dearly, though it's obvious in an overheard phone conversation that his parents are hoping for something more for their son. One day at the bank, when an old and rather hideous gypsy woman named Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) comes in asking for help to save her home, Christine is put in an awkward position by Mr. Jacks as to whether or not to turn down the request. Hoping it will score points in her favor, she turns Mrs. Ganush down, resulting in an embarrassing display for both women. As the event comes to close, Mr. Jacks informs Christine she handled it perfectly.

That night in the parking lot, Christine meets the old woman once again, and after a frightening physical battle, Mrs. Ganush lays a curse on our young heroine, then disappears. As the days go by, Christine begins to experience rather disturbing events, making her wonder just how much power the old gypsy woman actually had. She visits a psychic, who informs her that things may in fact by much more serious than she realizes. Christine even attempts to see Mrs. Ganush and apologize, only to find the old woman has passed away. As things get increasingly more frightening, she must find a way to free herself of this problem, before time completely runs out.

The old Sam Raimi is back. He has matured and learned from his years of big-budget experience, but has never forgotten his own unique style that defined him to begin with. The pacing and editing in this film, brings back memories of the early EVIL DEAD storytelling, and yet feels so polished and perfected. It's like seeing a great artist who has stopped painting for several years pick up a brush again, and surpass all of his previous efforts. Raimi has crafted an amazingly satisfying horror film, which never exceeds the limits of its PG-13 rating, and somehow never needs to. Don't get me wrong, there are some absolutely disgusting moments that even had me looking away from the screen. But it's not about blood and guts, yet rather more about real life things that one would find horrifying if confronted with in the everyday. And yes, being Sam Raimi, there are of course a few over-the-top moments that push the boundaries of acceptance. But somehow it all works. And the ending, without giving away anything, is perhaps one of the most concise and perfect endings of just about any horror film. It is Raimi's way of saying "Look, I know what good horror is, and I'm not afraid to do it right!"



The performances are strong too. Alison Lohman is convincing as Christine, a woman who unwittingly falls victim to horrible events, and (like many would in reality) does whatever it takes to get rid of this problem, sometimes against her own judgment. Think about it, if any of us were in this situation, we'd stop at nothing to stay alive. Raimi didn't cheap out on that character, or any of the events in the story, which is incidentally written by Sam and Ivan Raimi. Lohman also gets a few moments to behave like a female Bruce Campbell, which helps keep the film from taking itself too seriously, and reminds us who is driving this 'car'. Justin Long is subdued but fine as the boyfriend character. He's supportive and understanding, all the while not knowing what to think. He loves Christine, and that's all that matters in his mind. Hats off to Lorna Raver for the undoubtedly difficult job of playing the crazy gypsy lady. Many of her scenes are so intense and horrifying, she very likely has the most thankless job in the film. I also enjoy David Paymer in just about anything, though he's kind of walking through the "boss" role here. Even the score by Christopher Young is terrific and complementary wherever it needs to be. All in all this is great fun at the movies, and though the word has already been thrown around quite a bit with this film, it is indeed "vintage" Raimi. I loved it for what is was, and for what it wasn't. These days with so many PG-13 dulled down horror movies, or the over-the-top hard R torture porn horror flicks, it's nice to see a thrill ride that satisfies on just about every level. Thanks so much Sam... you very rarely disappoint.

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