Movies: Drag Me To Hell

Sam Raimi hasn't directed a horror movie since "The Gift" (and calling that title a "horror movie" is a stretch), and I suppose a lot of "Evil Dead" fans were wondering whether the "Spider-Man" movies had diluted the director's trademark blend of horror and dark humor. "Drag Me to Hell" confirms that Raimi still knows his way around the genre:



It's a timely story, to be sure: loan officer Christine Brown (played by a spunky Alison Lohman) selfishly denies an old lady an extension on her mortgage. Unfortunately, that old lady (Lorna Raver in a pitch-perfect performance) curses Christine, who will be literally dragged to hell in three days to suffer for eternity unless she can find a way to undo the curse. Even more unfortunately, the evil spirit summoned by the curse will do its best to torture Christine before the three days are up.

It's straightforward horror juiced up by Raimi's signature stylishness. Most directors are content to unleash jump scares on the viewers at every opportunity, but Raimi uses skewed camera angles and offbeat pacing to ratchet up the tension. That there is still tension, even after the audience knows exactly how the story will play out, is a minor miracle. Raimi's cinema craft is backed up by some great special effects, including some excellent SFX makeup from genre veteran Greg Nicotero.

To the extent Raimi's yarn is ineffective, it's because the man is a victim of his own success. "Drag Me To Hell" was shot for 30 million dollars, many times what the budget for "Evil Dead II" was (that film's budget was 3.5 million, which, even after adjusting for inflation, is not a huge sum by any stretch). The symptoms of the money are apparent: "Drag Me To Hell" is a slick, glossy PG-13 movie that takes few risks, especially considering the recent popularity of other curse movies like "The Ring." It's still an enjoyable ride, but I'm not sure it'll stand the test of time.

Rating: 7/10