Drag Me to Hell (2009)

Tagline: Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she's going to hell.

Curiosity: Sam Raimi made the “Evil Dead Trilogy” and Dark Man. If he says he wants to make a horror movie, I’m on board.

Plot: After an opening scene of what happens when you cross gypsies (r.e. – being physically dragged to a hell-like location), viewers are introduced to Christine (Alison Lohman), a young loan officer on track for a promotion at her bank’s branch. She’s smart, she’s nice, and she’s got a solid boyfriend in Clay (Justin Long). Also, she denies a gypsy woman, Sylvia Ganush (Lorna Raver, who totally nails this role), a third extension on her mortgage. This is a bad idea, as gypsies will apparently rip out your lungs if you so much as toot. Ganush decides that, instead of seeking aid from her family, she’ll just send Christine to hell.

BUT FIRST THERE IS THE BEST GERIATRIC FIGHT SCENE EVER.

Anyway, Christine has three days to save her soul.

Thoughts: Sam Raimi and his brother Ivan are cool dudes, and masters of the horror/comedy genre mash-up to boot. Drag Me to Hell was intentionally written as a PG-13 flick, an idea that ended up giving the pair so much more to work with. The film isn’t particularly bloody, but it’s got far more disgusting items likes “scary old lady bug vomit.” Lohman and Raver’s fight scenes are incredible, at turns gross and hilarious. The film is further bolstered by turns from Long and Dileep Rao as the psychic Rham Jas.

Drag Me to Hell rules on every level. Chris Young’s score highlights each scene perfectly. The sound team, headed by Ulrika Akander, emphasizes the most unsettling elements, especially where Ganush is concerned. Each smack of her gums and drumming of her fingernails maximizes discomfort. The special effects are straight up awesome, and there tons of things I never would have guessed were faked if not for the DVD’s special features. In order to achieve better lightning for the séance scene, for example, shooting was done without a roof for the room, and it was later added in with CGI. The car fight was shot in what was called the “puzzle car.” Crew members could break off whatever they needed in seconds in order to get the best angles. Drag Me to Hell also boasts the most realistic goat puppet I’ve ever seen.

Also they made a puppet version of Ganush for the sole purpose of shooting maggots into Lohman’s mouth. Now that’s dedication to your craft.

Reflection: I’m finally over Spider-man 3.