There are very few images you will remember this summer...this is one of themSam Raimi, I am so sorry. I was a naysayer, I had a carton of tomatoes ready to through from the peanut gallery. Drag Me To Hell proves that comedy and horror don't have to be an accident of bad filmaking. Director Sam Raimi has tapped into his Evil Dead vein once again to deliver a work that nods to his previous efforts and simultaneously reinvigorating all facets of the horror genre. Go see it, immediately, it does not have robots or spaceships in it, but it has an epic old lady beat down that must be seen on the big screen.
From the very start of Drag Me To Hell you will notice slight 'old Raimi touches'. Using the old Universal logo was a nice bit of flare. Moreover, when was the last time you have heard an original score for a horror movie? For a while it has been the same piano shrills and pounding tom toms at the moments prior to the big scare. The sound design and score are essentially another character in this movie. You will find yourself cringing wishing that 'darn violin would stop being so freaking creepy'.
Alison Lohman takes the lead as Christine Brown, a sensitive loan officer who is [literally] eyeing a promotion in what appears to be a very male dominated field. She crosses the wrong elder gypsy in Mrs. Ganush, played by Lorna Raver. Without giving away too much, let us just say, if there is anything to learn from Christine Brown's encounter with Mrs. Ganush it would be to always check the back seat of your car. Horror Movie 101.
Justin Long plays Clay Dalton, the new professor of philosophy and [hopelessly] devoted boyfriend of Christine Brown. Sam and Ivan Raimi do a great job of writing his character as a kind of 'naturalistic male'. How many times have we seen a horror/mystery where the girlfriend was wronged and the boyfriend takes it upon himself to be the white knight? This is not to say that Clay Dalton is a spineless sheep dog, but it is kind of refreshing to see a guy in a horror movie look to his girlfriend and say, "I got your back". And it is not meant in an over-sexualized pun.
There is a suitable amount of CG in the movie and for the most part it is blended seamlessly. There are brief glances where the budget for such expensive scenes rear their jagged faces, but since the movie mainly relies on actual make up and special [real] effects, the scenes with the occasional blaring CG fit in with the campy/surreal tone of the movie. If you are still pensive about going to see Drag Me To Hell based on the look, fear not [damn it...i hate puns] there are many scenes that rely on what COULD be 'around the corner' or 'under the bed' most of all, your imagination. The best scare a well made horror movie could give the viewer is what 'they think' could be coming next.
It is not all fright and filler. The writing is so pitch perfect. There were moments in this movie where I was frightened and laughing at the top of my lungs! Interesting aside: Here is a drinking game, anytime something goes in or out of a character's mouth you, take a shot. The supporting cast is incredible, down to the casting of the kitten and goat. That is right, a goat is in this movie and has a sassy mouth. I would warn the uninitiated that there is a degree of campyness that you may not be aware of until what could only be described as the best cemetery scene in horror movie history [and I'm saying this being a fan of Pet Semetary and American Werewolf In London].
For those of you familiar with Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series and are looking to be impressed. Keep an eye out for a couple of his nods to those previous movies. If anything, how many teenagers are going to see this movie and immediately hunt for a Christine Brown poster to put up on their wall...well...probably not that many [only the super special ones ;)]. Also, ask yourself a question: Who could be this generations new Bruce Campbell? Alison Lohman or Justin Long?
I Give Drag Me To Hell One Of My Highest Honors...
An Unsettling Image Of A Pool With Puke In It