First off, if anyone is comparing Drag Me to Hell to Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise they are way off base. While it is a return to the horror genre for the man that is now associated with the Spider-Man franchise more than he is the cornball Bruce Campbell “Book of the Dead” frighteners, it doesn’t mean we are talking about the same thing. Sure, Drag Me to Hell has a couple of laughs in it and the idea of a possessed goat is just about as goofy as it can get, but this beats the pants off the Evil Dead franchise at every turn. Relying less on gore and more on audience imagination, Drag Me to Hell is a fun and, at times, intensely frightening step up for Raimi as far as horror is concerned. However, I still don’t think this film is for everyone, and certainly if you don’t go in properly prepared and unaware of what you are in for.
The one thing that will determine whether or not you find enjoyment in Drag Me to Hell depends on your expectations and your experience watching Raimi horror films, or at least the knowledge of what they have to offer. While I am not a fan of any of Raimi’s Evil Dead movies, they did prepare me for this film. The entire story is based on an old lady who decides to curse a young loan officer because she won’t extend her mortgage for a third time. In what world is that premise an acceptable plot for a feature film? In truth, it’s not. The plot is pretty much worthless, but Raimi proves any plot is feasible if executed properly and, to my complete surprise, this one still manages to carry a mini-message if you pay close enough attention. Whowouldathunk?
Alison Lohman stars as the cursed loan officer tormented by the evil spirit called on by Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver). Lohman panics, screams and struggles her way through all 99 minutes of this film with supreme dedication in a role originally assigned to Ellen Page (Juno) who had to bail due to conflicts caused by the writers’ strike back in early 2008. However, Lohman is up to the task and is given plenty to work with, including some fantastic one-liners as she proves more than willing to get a little dirty to make this one work.
Comedic elements work their way in through the previously mentioned goat possession as well as a scene where David Paymer is drenched in blood, yet his only concern is “did I get any in my mouth?” The most memorable moment for me, though, happens when Lohman is chased by the spirit and locks herself in her room only to reveal a poster featuring a kitten hanging for dear life reading “Hang in There,” which plays so deep into the plot at that moment you have to see it to appreciate it. I don’t reveal these moments in an effort to spoil anything, but to give you an opportunity to look out for them and enjoy them in context and not as stand-alone silly sidebars that stunt the storytelling.
Drag Me to Hell runs right up against the PG-13/R-rated barrier but came away with the lesser of the two, much to the delight of Universal Pictures I am sure. Most of the scares are relatively cheap involving sudden loud noises accompanied by frightening images, but I am not ashamed to say I did get the chills a couple of times. On top of being a highly entertaining thrill ride this has its moments where it truly has your eyes locked on the screen, concerned for what is coming next.
While the title Drag Me to Hell is one of the worst out there (it should have been Drag You To Hell if anything, since Lohman’s character was never expressly interested in visiting the Devil’s den) the film itself is a lot of fun and one of the first horror/thrillers to actually creep me out in a long time. However, the requirement for your liking this film is to make sure you buy into it. Expect comedic elements and accept the fact an eviction is enough to set off a crazy old lady to the point she would place a supernatural death sentence on someone. If you can do that I expect you will have a good time with this film filled with a couple of laughs, plenty of cheap scares and some truly creepy moments.
