Evil Dead fans, be dragged to heaven

Rating: 9/10 (10 June 2009)

After up and coming bank employee Christine Brown (Lohman) rejects Mrs Ganush's (Raver) requests for a mortgage extension, Brown is subjected to a hellish curse.
Drag me to Hell has been a hugely anticipated film owing to the fact almost 30 years ago Sam Raimi started a series known as The Evil Dead which generated a fan base so huge it rivals his current Spider-man series and taking a break from the web-slinger, Raimi has returned to the horror genre, and what a return.
It has been over 20 years since Evil Dead II was first screened and the genre has changed somewhat since then. Advances in the CGI department have generated more scares and the sharp change of filming digitally in The Blair Witch Project has altered perceptions of the type of horror we fans expect to see.
Where Drag me to Hell uses these sharp advantages to generate sharp thrills and scares, it doesn't deflect any imagination and enjoyment away from the story which is pulsating and exciting in every connotation. Sharp jumpy montages, quick flashes of the frightening Lorna Raver, inhumane punishment and shocking sickening violent sequences make the film a true horror that scares on numerous bases.
Having seen The Exorcist a few nights before viewing this Raimi picture, I was looking forward to another revitalised debate over the significance of hell vs heaven and possible science vs religion. No such ideology was particularly evident but there is no question that this 2009 release picks up the concept of hell in a sharp flaming representation that is stunningly directed and written by Raimi.
Shaun of the Dead, released a few years before this, brought a wonderful sense of comedy to the concept of horror to supernatural beings and where the intention here is to scare, there are a few laughs brought around here. One is the use of the goat at the séance, Justin Long's oblivious nature towards supernatural concepts and the on job rivalry of Brown and Stu Ribbin (Reggie Lee) is bitter but well intentioned.
Alison Lohman brings a sharp significance to the relevance of Brown in how she deals with the eventual curse. Justin Long brings some comedy to the plot where Raver is so convincing and scary you may just have to look away every time she appears.
The character development in the story plays a pivotal relevance to the running of everyday life. There is a strong use of karma in this film, played with the nature of good versus evil. Brown's rejection of the old lady's pleas was made without much consideration for Ganush and the repercussions are astounding. As well as the character writing, Raimi is establishing the balance of everyday against the supernatural well.
Drag me to hell therefore is a shocking and scary revamp for the director who brings a sense of realism to fantasy that should delight any Evil Dead fan.