Finally, American horror lightens up and goes back to the infamous days

Rating: 8/10 (6 September 2009)

Outside the golden gates of Hollywood Sam Raimi, best known for the Spiderman trilogy, is something of a horror legend. He originally gained fame for his openly grimy and dirty video nasties, which soared into the ranks of cult status. But now, after a hiatus of 15 years, he has finally gone back to his roots with the eerily delightful Drag Me to Hell.
The simple story of Christine Young, a lawyer who is cursed by a gypsy, seems somewhat formulaic, but to me I find it is purposely so. It's frank use of stereotypes and corny economic messages provide a quiet underlying chuckle throughout the film. My favourite example is in the title, as poor Christine has four days to break the curse or she will be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the red-hot bowels of hell.
During her journey, every imaginable horror device is utilised magnificently, intensified by thrillingly creative visuals. One sequence depicts an eyeball lodged in cake, with the jam and cream as the blood and pus. All this supplies a rich tone and novelty to what is considered a dated and exploited genre. The traditional and overstated score is almost of parody of sorts, with harsh, sudden screeches from violins adding an extra few centimetres to that jump in your seat. Because, believe me, there are many noteworthy frights to be found in Drag Me to Hell, some straight out of the horror textbook, some unique and bizarrely humorous. Refreshing, aptly concise and damn-right original.