Horror Hysteria: 'Drag Me To Hell' Review

Rating: 8/10 (5 June 2009)

The following is a review of the latest Sam Raimi masterpiece, Drag Me To Hell.
'Drag Me To Hell' is pretty self-explanatory, and the plot is very basic, something that Raimi has done in the past. The plot, like Evil Dead, seems so far-fetched and corny that you would very much try to avoid watching it. However, the amount of entertainment that 'Drag Me To Hell' possesses is almost overwhelming. It was quite a shocker, and one hell of a cinematic experience. It's the 'Evil Dead' of the 21st century, and can't possibly let you down in any way. With this film, Raimi has brought back his signature pulpy, stylish directing style with a bang. I thought I would just be sitting through your usual, clichéd melodramatic horror flick. What I got was a series of unflinching non-clichés that come so unexpectedly, like for instance the scene leading up the "curse" sequence near the beginning in the parking garage. Now I'm not going to give anything away, but get ready for one hell of a thrill. And don't be afraid to laugh, the situations in this film are hugely amusing and darkly comical.
And now onto the acting. It's not that bad, and it's not the best. But, trust me, you won't be worried about the acting while watching this movie. However, Lohman does give quite a good performance in this film, much better than one might think. Simply enough, if you're a fan of even the Spider-Man movies you'll enjoy this. Raimi incorporates the same directorial techniques all the way around. However, in order to get a grip on the kind of direction/writing and acting that this film will possess, I suggest you watch the original Evil Dead movies, most preferably 'Evil Dead 2.' That's a good film to compare this to.
I've read many comments on this board that talk about Raimi's use of CGI, as being a bit "over-used." Now, if your a fan of his original 80s trilogy, this doesn't use those same kinds of visual "techniques." But I wouldn't be too worried if I were you, it definitely adds to the scare effect.
Finally, I would just like to note how refreshing it is to see an original and audacious as this. The ending will leave you quite satisfied, with a very nice touch of hugely dark comedy, reminiscent of the infamous ending to "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb." Enjoy.