Drag Me To Hell (2009) Review
Spoiler-free so you can read before you watch
Horrorific content by Ciarán Coleman on June 26th, 2021 | Movie Review | Cursed, Supernatural, Hell
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A loan officer who evicts an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse.
Drag Me To Hell was directed by Sam Raimi (genius behind Evil Dead and Army of Darkness) and stars Alison Lohman, Justin Long (from Tusk and Jeepers Creepers) and Lorna Raver (from The Caller).
Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she's going to hell.
It’s about a young loan officer who denies an old gypsy woman an extension on her mortgage. She’s subsequently cursed and has three days to save her soul before she’s dragged into hell for eternity.
First things first, not a crazy amount of this film feels wholly original, especially if you’re familiar with Raimi’s earlier work. With that in mind, if you like Raimi’s style you’ll more than likely love this film. Free from any big studio restraints he goes all out in what's clearly a passion project.
Alison Lonham plays this film's lead, Christine Brown, a loan officer who denies an elederly, gyspy woman an extension on her mortgage. Her performance can be a little wooden, but her physical acting is nothing short of perfect for the energy of this film.
A lot of the dialogue is clunky and somewhat emotionless but this still doesn’t take away from how fun ‘Drag Me To Hell’ can be. It’s campy through and through, with visceral directing and solid pacing. Christopher Young’s energetic score sits in the background brilliantly, combining both the scary and goofier tones brilliantly. Neither ever seem to clash, a trait perfected by Raimi.
Written by Sam and Ivan Raimi, ‘Drag Me To Hell’ is chock full of typical Raimi horror-comedy, from a demonic handkerchief to a possessed goat. Unfortunately the CGI drenched slapstick found throughout this film is far less endearing than the practical goofiness of ‘Evil Dead 2’ and ‘Army of Darkness’.
All in all, Sam Raimi’s return to the horror genre after his critically acclaimed Spiderman trilogy, doesn’t house the same originality as ‘The Evil Dead’ or the universal appeal of ‘Spiderman’ but is still a solid horror film with Raimi’s style dialed up to eleven.
Worth Watching?
Yes. It’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea but it’s undeniably entertaining and at its core a fun, rollicking horror movie to lose yourself in.
