Drag Me To Hell Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
A loan officer ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, which turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.
| Flor de Maria Chahua | Young Shaun San Dena |
| Joanne Baron | Mr. Jacks Secretary |
| Tony A. Angelo | Bank guard |
| Michael Peter Bolus | Spitting Gypsy |
| Gerry Carbajal | Coroner |
| Tom Carey | Guy in headlights |
| Reggie Lee | Stu Rubin |
| Justin Long | Clay |
| David Paymer | Mr. Jacks |
| Dileep Rao | Rham Jas |
| Bill E. Rogers | Bill |
| Sage Stallone | Hemmings |
| Alex Veadov | Gypsy man |
| Bonnie Aarons | Gypsy Mother |
| Monica Cabral | Student |
| Sam Raimi |
7.10 out of 10 (46296 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Really REALLY enjoyable horror flick...
posted on 30 Aug 2009The acting, the dialog, the cinematography, the plot twists ALL combine to make this not one, but TWO cuts above the usual of this genre. The thingy at the end which is unexpected (ok--maybe SOME genius will figure it out) was the cherry on top.My lady friend went as a favor, and while her interest was kept throughout, some of the visuals were a bit too much for her, and she missed the ending because her eyes were closed.The Brothers Raimi pay homage to some of the classics, such as The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror and Poltergeist. I went to see this movie after reading positive reviews in the Wall St Journal and the NY Times, so my expectations were high and I was not disappointed. Bonus: Justin Long is the cool guy/Apple spokesman and plays the boyfriend.If you're a horror fan, do not miss this one.
Stupid as Hell
posted on 30 Aug 2009Sam Raimi is a talented man but this outing was very disappointing. Mixing camp, ooze, and horror is a delicate balance which was nicely achieved with the Evil Dead series. Here, the characters are played too straight for camp which makes the "scare tactic" affects of the movie out of place since most of them do not deliver even a jolt. The evil characters don't seem to be enjoying themselves which may have lent some credibility to the film's campy aspirations. Otherwise, the scares needed to be better paced in order to lend some needed dread to the events. Also, there is a big difference between nauseating and terrifying. Sick effects are just that and here induce ennui after about the third time. The result being Argento meets Disney. About 15 minutes of the film gives a thrill, but it comes too late and is then dampened by a predictable ending. 3/10.
Dragged to Hell
posted on 28 Aug 2009Though it was nice to see Raimi return to his true roots after all-but selling out to 'Spider-Man' with 'Drag Me to Hell,' unfortunately, this really appeared to be an overlong 'Tales from the Crypt' episode. Sure, that's not necessary a bad thing; it's always nice to get that feeling again when we were kids/young adults growing up on such horror classics such as 'Crypt' or Raimi's 'Evil Dead' series. (And before I move on, I would like to clarify, I really did like Spidey 1/2, but comparatively speaking, most of Raimi's best work is with horror/suspense, such as: 'A Simple Plan.') In 'Hell' we have bank employee yearning for a promotion over an eager new employee. She has other life problems, but none as great as the curse an old gypsy woman bestows upon her after she denies a third extension on her foreclosing home, in order to lock in the promotion. For three days, legend states, she will be tormented and then, literally dragged to hell. Unless, of course, she can find one of many loopholes. What I liked about 'Hell' is the head-on obvious horror movie clichés, not attempting to hide, but embracing them, never taking itself too seriously. And sure most of the film was for shock/scare value, vomit and other liquids poured into her mouth, etc.But, as always there's holes: woman waits 40 years for another chance at defeating the main demon, however charges the main character $10,000 she doesn't have for the séance. That's like getting hired for the job you really wanted and asking the interviewer, "Are you sure you made the right choice?" Also, if she truly is the vegetarian she claimed to be, how come she made that cake with eggs? Isn't that considered murder? I'm not sure, since I'm a meat eater, but isn't even cracking eggs, or worse, beating them, kind of harsh on what could've been a life? And the closing climax was obvious 20 minutes prior, so it takes awhile to see what we already know what's coming. Still, recommended for the demon-horror movie fans.Side note: My job at work is to help people save homes. I was laughing out loud prior to this movie, as it very well could've been a five minute movie (including opening and closing credits) as if just that bank employee simply referred the gypsy over to my agency or a similar HUD certified housing counseling company. The lady would avoid the curse, the gypsy would've continued her black magic alone at home, the bank would've profited. Everyone wins. Well, except the audience that spent 10+ dollars on a five-minute film. This is probably the reason I've never been invited to Hollywood studio board meetings. Well, probably.
Too predictable and far too loud
posted on 28 Aug 2009A huge disappointment in my eyes, especially after the high praise it has received from critics. Sam Raimi attempts to return to his B movie roots. Like the Evil Dead movies, it's delightfully cheesy and relentless. Unfortunately, it's also very formulaic and, much of the time, downright obnoxious. This is one film I would almost implore people not to see in theaters. At least not ones that like to turn the volume up. This movie is LOUD. I saw Terminator Salvation at the same theater, and was not nearly as deafened as I was by Drag Me to Hell. The problem: horror stings on the soundtrack. CONSTANTLY. The formula of the film is this: quiet set-up followed by sharp screech and an even louder BOO! It's the same thing over and over. I was cowering, but only because I was afraid I might not be able to hear in the morning. The story isn't bad, but it's been done before. Alison Lohman (awful) plays a loan officer who gets cursed by a gypsy after she turns her down for a loan extension. A goat demon begins to attack Lohman and, well, the rest of its intentions are included in the title of the film. Though I generally didn't like it, it's far from a bad film. In fact, I think it might play better on television (it's definitely the kind of movie that I would have caught on late night TV as a kid and loved). The séance scene near the end of the film is mostly gold. The demon itself is scary as Hell, but Raimi's way of indicating it, with sharp screeches, is what ruined the movie for me.
Decent horror with some humour
posted on 28 Aug 2009Anyone who has ever watched horror movies should know that it's not a good idea to annoy gypsies. Unfortunately for her, this little life lesson appears to have passed Christine Brown by because, in pursuit of a hotly contested promotion at the bank where she is a loan officer, she royally p*sses off an old gypsy woman with the worst upper and lower plates in the history of dentistry. This unpleasant old woman lays a curse on poor Christine (in addition to assaulting her in fairly robust fashion) via a button. This curse is to be applied by a demon called the Lamia, whose modus operandi is to torment the victim for three days before ripping the soul out of them and taking it off to Hell for an eternity of torment. As you do. The rest of the movie is devoted to the aforementioned tormenting, alternating with Christine's increasingly desperate attempts to avoid this fate.Sam Raimi cut his directorial teeth on the Evil Dead movies. Full of energy, not to mention grossness and humour, these movies were made on tiny budgets which was inevitably reflected in production values (for all of which they worked marvels with the limited budgets they had). Since then he has enjoyed both critical and financial success (not always with the same film!), and Drag Me To Hell sees him returning to horror with a much bigger budget.With rare exceptions, it is unfair to judge horror films other than as horror films, and this movie is no exception: it is a straightforward horror, following all the conventions. But it's not a bad one. The story, though familiar, is well told and has some small but pleasing wrinkles (Christine's boyfriend, Justin Long as an intellectual mother's boy) is the standard sceptic, but offers Christine unqualified support despite believing that she's suffering from a kind of post traumatic stress syndrome. There is, as you would expect, an adequate supply of moments to make you jump, The effects are fine, and of a quality which reflects the fact that Raimi is no longer on such a meagre budget as he was 20 years ago. Various subplots maybe aren't made full use of, but this doesn't really matter too much. There is a fair sprinkling of characteristic Raimi (mostly gross-out) humour. The ending won't please everybody, but I thought it was fine. In short, it all works, and perfectly well.Alison Lohman makes a sympathetic protagonist, but the film is stolen by Lorna Raver - as Mrs Ganush she delivers one of the vilest, most malevolent characters seen on screen for ages. I loved her!
A simple plot that is thoroughly covered with plenty of psychological scares
posted on 28 Aug 2009Overall, in my opinion, it was a highly entertaining movie with the right amount of scares and with a good touch of gore. This movie doesn't give you the over-the-top gore scenes like it does in movies like 'Frontiers' and the 'SAW' series. This movie focused more on the psychological scares rather than the gore aspect. Even though this movie ran for only about an hour and a half or so, the plot of the story was simple enough that it could be thoroughly covered in that frame of time.The movie not only provided scares but there was possibly also a comical aspect to it. One instance is in a scene where the already deceased Ganush gypsy woman throws up brown colored bile on Christine's face. Another instance is in a scene in the office when Christine, who seemed to have a minor nose bleed, sprays blood from her nose on her overly concerned boss.Another refreshing aspect to the movie is that the movie doesn't have your usual happy ending.On a final note, I felt that the ending was a good lesson for us to double check before committing to a particular course of action.(the button)
The Return of the King!
posted on 26 Aug 2009It's always a joy when iconic filmmakers rediscover their mojo and make the kind of movies that fans want to see. George A.Romero went back to basics with 'Diary of the Dead', admittedly with mixed results but at least there was an honesty to its execution, whilst Wes Craven and David Cronenberg have both contributed to movies that bear the trademarks of their talents. Sam Raimi has been a favourite with genre fans since 'The Evil Dead' first terrified and amused audiences at the dawn of the video nasty boom of the early eighties, and even though he has gone on to bigger blockbuster action with the 'Spiderman' franchise, he has frequently returned to more spooky fare with production credits on 'The Grudge', 'The Grudge 2', '30 Days of Night' and 'The Messengers'. With 'Drag Me to Hell', though, the inventive director has come full circle and made a movie that easily stands up against his original 'Evil Dead' trilogy.The story centres around Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a loan officer in a bank who is a potential candidate for a promotion, if only she could convince her boss (David Paymer) that she can make tough decisions. She is visited at work by an elderly Hungarian gypsy, Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver), who is requesting a third extension on her mortgage. After trying to convince her boss to grant the extension, he leaves the decision in Christine's hands, as a way of testing her credentials. After telling Mrs. Ganush that the bank cannot extend her mortgage, the upset pensioner then gets on her knees and begs. Christine calls security to remove her from the building, but Mrs.Ganush takes this as an insult and tries to attack Christine, insisting that Christine has shamed her. When Christine leaves work that evening, she is attacked by Mrs. Ganush (in one of the best scenes of the movie), who takes a button from Christine's coat, places a curse on it and gives it back. Still traumatized, Christine and her boyfriend Clay (Justin Long) pay a visit to Rham Jas (Dileep Rao), a local spiritualist, who tells Christine she has been cursed by a demon called The Lamia, who will torment her for three days before coming to claim her soul and take her to Hell.So there's your plot. The first thing to say about this movie is how refreshing it is to see this sort of shocker made by somebody who really knows their stuff. The gore is kept to a minimum, but that's because there's no need for it. Raimi has always been able to shock audiences without resorting to gratuitous tactics - 'The Evil Dead' may have had bucketloads of goo, but as those movies went on there was less and less of it, forcing the viewer to invest more in the story. Although the comparisons to the 'Evil Dead' movies are obvious, as well as the shocks and the 'Three Stooges'-esquire slapstick, it is the overall style that Raimi has developed over the years that shines through here, and other earlier works such as 'Darkman' and 'The Quick and the Dead' would prove to be useful reference points - the quick editing, the camera angles, narrative flow and cinematic scope that are present in both of those movies is here, as is Raimi's 'shaky-cam' style of filming. It's also a very loud movie with loads of bangs crashes and subliminal noises that add to the overall atmosphere.As with almost all of Raimi's movies, the characters are strong and likable - even Mrs. Ganush to start with - and this familiarity with type adds to the action. Lorna Raver's depiction of the scorned gypsy is the very definition of creepy and if there was ever a category for Best Villain at the Oscars then Mrs. Ganush should win hands down. Without trying to give anything away, even in the later scenes when her physical being isn't doing much, she still exudes an air of ghoulish menace. Alison Lohman is a pretty strong lead, and seems to have a good chemistry with Justin Long, even if he comes across as a bit wet. Christine's rival for the promotion at the bank, Stu (ReggieLee), is also a great character who was used well and came across as pretty detestable.As a whole, 'DMTH' is an absolute triumph of a movie. There are a few slight issues - some dodgy CGI effects, one or two lapses in the script - but no movie is perfect, and as far as this movie is concerned, it's about as close as you're going to get from one of the genres most consistently inventive talents. The only thing that was missing was an appearance from a certain Mr. Campbell, maybe in the role of Milos, the medium's assistant. Considering how the scene involving him plays out, it would have been a great cameo. Overall, though, this is an excercise from a master in how to shock and have fun in equal measure, and although Raimi made the fatal error of making his first movie a classic against which everything he does is measured, this is certainly the best movie he has made since 1982.
One "Hell"uva great horror film! "Drag" yourself to a theater!
posted on 26 Aug 2009DRAG ME TO HELL (2009) ***1/2 Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, Adriana Barraza, Chelcie Ross, Molly Cheek, Reggie Lee. Filmmaker Sam Raimi returns giddily/ghoulishly back to his horror roots in this entertaining and fiendishly funny spookster with sweet bank loan officer Lohman finding herself cursed by an elderly gypsy (Raver making an affective villain to trouble one's sleep since the hey-day of Freddy Krueger!) after she has rejected for an extension on her home. What follows is bad news and three days to make good or find herself on the highway to …well the title is appropro. Raimi's skillful use of sound and vision to play tricks on the unsuspecting audience and milk every genre cliché (i.e. squeaking gates, sudden jolts, debunking fortune tellers) that the end result is a humdinger of a good time watching someone truly going through hell to avoid it. One of the best horror films in years; welcome back Sammy!
Telegraphed MacGuffin
posted on 26 Aug 2009"Drag Me" is an excellent movie that reminded me of the old quote, I believe from Thalberg, that a movie should contain three great scenes and no bad scenes.Both the scenes with the cats -- the "hear, kitty-kitty" and the parents' dinner party -- were great, the set-ups with the rival at the office -- the sandwich bit and the Lakers tickets -- were great, and the graveyard scene was truly great. Christine was under water so long that I began groping around mentally for a new protagonist, a la the near-drowning scene in "Star Wars." The only problem I had was the plot twist involving the coin and button in Act III. I was confident to a degree of absolute certainty that Christine was not giving Mrs. Ganush her button. Did that ruin the movie for me? Not really, because the question becomes what will Clay do with the button. When Christine was sinking in the cemetery, I flashed forward to imagine Clay at the train station, dropping the button and somebody truly evil picking it up -- a movie critic for the L.A. Times, perhaps.What was interesting was the way Mr. Raimi avoided resorting to a Higher Power to resolve the conflict at the séance scene, as often happens in a supernatural thriller. Of course that sealed Christine's fate -- a la "Carrie." Still, "Drag Me" is an outstanding achievement at all levels -- I recommend it and look forward to repeated viewings.
Simply Horrible, almost unwatchable
posted on 26 Aug 2009Going in to the movies to see this I really didn't know what to expect. I had seen MySpace ads around as well as a commercial I barely glimpsed at. Still like a typical horror movie I went in expecting greatness, despite being disappointed 9/10 times.Now, prior to going in I was unaware the man who made this also did the Evil Dead series. In all fairness I loved those movies as a kid when my dad showed me them on VHS. They were scary and weird so it was still enjoyable despite the oddness.Drag me to Hell on the other hand, well I seriously considered leaving the theater. If you want to simply jump throughout the movie you're in luck, it uses about 20 or so cliché suspense moments to get you scared. Now, I've watched plenty of horror movies in my day so disliking the movie had nothing to do with disliking "gross" things- but the amount of goo in this movie was just unnecessary and only there for the sake of being gross. While I now understand the comical-horror scenes in this movie (As I'm now aware of the creator) for newcomers to the maker, or just casual moviegoers in general it doesn't make sense to be in there. If we come for a scary movie we don't expect to see Looney-Tune situations. Laughter amidst a horror movie may be a nice break and all, but it just makes the movie look silly, low budget, badly written, and not serious considering the rest of the movies mood.The acting for this was mixed, it was either over the top and unneeded or just awkward. Later we meet the Boyfriend's parents who are clearly wealthy. While they went for a "smug rich people" act it just seemed like acting of a cheap television show.Personally I found the music and sounds to be terrible in this movie, I apologize if this is coming off as a rant but I'll explain. Drag me to Hell is LOUD, extremely so; in the suspense scenes people were covering their ears due to the loud pitch. Musically it was just inappropriate, during one particular horror scene they chose a Jazz-like bass rift. CGI in the movie was decent, nothing award-winning but it worked despite certain scenes looking as if they were from the 1987 Evil Dead film. The style mirrored that of "My Bloody Valentine" where everything appeared ready for 3D (assuming you didn't see that in 3D)On paper, the plot is good. Or at least it started good, though realistically its just your typical "Somethings going to possess you and haunt you, we need to do an old ritual to end it" film (See also: The Eye, The Unborn, Etc.)To sum things up, I wasted my time and money by seeing this movie. While I would like to appreciate it as the "Comeback of a great horror director" I just refuse to call it anything more than a cult hit. Don't see this movie, its a jumbled mess of random acts thrown together to create suspense just for the sake of doing so.
A fun horror movie that never drags . . . . . . well, not in that way.
posted on 26 Aug 2009Alison Lohman stars in Sam Raimi's much-anticipated return to the horror genre, playing a loan officer who makes the major mistake of refusing an old woman a third extension on her mortgage. Understandably upset at the prospect of losing her beloved home the old woman places a curse on Lohman that will see her being tormented for three days before being eventually dragged to hell. All others can do is look on, bemused, as Lohman has her nerves frazzled and scares away those who come into contact with her (though her beau, played by Justin Long, admirably sticks by her side and tries to understand the situation). Can the curse be broken? Will any psychics manage to help out against such a strong foe? And has Raimi remembered how to provide the requisite genre thrills? Well, in answer to that last question I can happily give a resounding "yes". This movie is fast-paced, hugely entertaining and should come as a major relief to fans eager to see if Raimi had been softened after far too much time in the realm of Spiderman.It's far from a perfect film (the basic premise is familiar to many fans who have seen the likes of Thinner and Ring, amongst others and the tone may leave those who like their horror "straight" unimpressed) but it is definitely a Sam Raimi film and fans should enjoy seeing his best big-budget genre outing in years, complete with touches instantly recognisable to those who know the Evil Dead movies inside and out. There's the odd bit of possession, some flowing camera-work (although no full-out "Raimi-cam") and, of course, the oldsmobile that appears throughout Raimi's filmography.Lohman does very well with her lead role, transforming believably from a weak "doormat" character to someone using every ounce of strength she has left to fight for her life, but Justin Long is a jarringly miscast presence as her fella, supposedly a young psychology professor. I like Justin Long and always enjoy his presence in films but he, sadly, does not have the look or presence of someone educated to the level of psychology professor. Nope, just a bit too much of a stretch with that one. Everyone else is just right whether they are portraying cursing crones, bank managers, future prospective in-laws or mediums hoping to cure Lohman of her ills.It also must be said that while there is plenty of FX work on display none of it really stands out as being too fake or unsubtle. Sure, some scenes push at the edge of horror-humour as Raimi often likes to do but the visuals provided still seem acceptable within the context of whatever madness is tormenting Lohman at the time.All in all, this is a fantastic popcorn horror that may not stand up as a classic of the genre but will provide entertainment for fans for a long time to come.See this if you like: Thinner, Night Of The Demon, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (1973, TV).
drag me to hell...please
posted on 26 Aug 2009Drag me to hell.....YES PLEASE to put me out of my misery. The opening scene was OK this could be good like "The GRUDGE", boy was I wrong... The next awful scene was the fight between the main character and this old lady who looks like she had been living under a rock for a year looks like it could have come from "Scary Movie". HOW the hell anyone could rate this movie higher than one must have been completely stoned like the creators when they wrote it. Not to mention they must have something against the culture in this movie because it was not portrayed nicely. The plot was awful... lady gets heated because she doesn't get an extension on her loan. She waits for bank lady to leave and hides in the car waiting for her to get in.... "Scary Movie" like fight happens which ends in bank lady's button getting ripped off her coat and cursed and thrown back at her. some boring stuff happens. Bank lady tries to fight her curse by killing her kitten. Bank lady freaks out because curse is still following her. End of movie kind of romantic and then bank lady falls on to train tracks where she was pulled down into the depths off hell because she failed at getting rid of curse/ daemon.Come on now give me a minute and I will think of something better that will at least make people not want to gouge their eyes out with their buttered popcorn. Poor old film makers are rolling in their graves and when the creators least expect they will be pulled to their death into the depths of hell.... Hey, that would make a good sequel. I would have rather stayed home and watched my roommate pick his nose for two hours than pay to see this movie. I want my money back. I have seen some bad movies but this one I think should rank one. I wonder what the creators had to do to convince the actors that this movie was worth adding to their resume.
lots of scares
posted on 26 Aug 2009I just saw this film today and wanted to set down my views while they are still fresh in my mind. This is the third horror film I have seen this year after The Last House On The Left and The Haunting In Conneticut and I think its the best. It has gotten some of the best user ratings on IMDb and some have said that it may go down as a cult classic. Sam Raimi has achieved fame in recent years by directing the very popular "Spiderman" franchise, however he started his career directing horror films and returns to his roots so to speak in this one. In fact, a little bit of nostalgia here, they use the old Universal logo from the 1980's before the film starts. Right away the title Drag Me To Hell slaps you in the face. I had never heard of Alison Lohman, but she is definitely a young actress with promise. She plays Christine Brown, a young bank loan officer bucking for a promotion from her boss, played by the noted actor David Paymer, an old Gypsy woman comes to her asking for an extension on her mortgage. To show her boss she has guts, she denies it and the old woman puts a Gypsy curse on her. She will be tormented by an evil spirit for three days and then dragged to hell to burn for all eternity. Boy and I thought I had a bad day at work! I have only seen two other horror movies that really scared me, The Night Of The Living Dead and Pet Semetary and I also add this one. I had genuine chills at various parts of the film. Lorna Raver is chilling as the old Gypsy woman who torments Christine. They really put on the gross makeup. She needed serious dental work! She has got to be the ugliest actress I have ever seen since Anne Ramsey in Throw Mama From the Train. She is one actress that you can say didn't make it because of her looks. The special effects are really awesome especially in the seance scene. I felt like I was on Disneyworld's Haunted Mansion Ride. Raimi uses humor in this film as well. I liked the scene where Christine has a nosebleed from hell all over her boss and the scene where the goat is talking in the seance! I only have two complaints with this film. Raimi goes overboard with gross special effects, like the scene where Christine has a vision of the old Gypsy woman vomiting blood and maggots on her face or where she sees an eye and fly eggs in her cake. Alfred Hitchcock rarely used gory special effects in his films. He was really the master of horror and suspense because he realized that grossness doesn't make a great film. Raimi should have taken note of this. This film could have been just as effective without being gross. Also, I have a problem with the ending SPOILER ALERT MAJOR SPOILER WATCH OUT. Lohman did a very fine job of making Christine seem so real to me. She was basically a decent person. She was a simple farm girl who was a vegetarian who loved animals. She even admitted in the end that it was selfish and wrong of her to deny that old woman. She admitted it was just so she would get a promotion. I sort of knew how this film would end about twenty minutes before the final credits. It all has to do with that envelope. The final scene where she falls off the platform and is dragged into hell forever made me feel like I'd swallowed an ice cream cone whole.
Raimi goes back to basics
posted on 24 Aug 2009Drag Me To Hell is a welcome return to the inventive horror movie for director Sam Raimi. Even though quite a bit of his trademark style can be seen in the Spider-Man franchise, those films are so big and effects-driven that his voice is diluted. The lower-budget Drag Me To Hell is a much more personal movie. And as such contains a lot more of the things that made Raimi the tour-de-force, quirky and energetic director of the Evil Dead series.The story is basically about a bank worker who is cursed by an old gypsy woman for not extending her loan. Enter all manner of scary occult events.The story-line is pretty forgettable but it serves as a good framework for Raimi to bombard us with inventive scare scenes. As is typical, he mixes the horror with knockabout humour, and proves once again that he is one of the very few directors who is adept at mixing comedy with genuine scares. It's not an easy thing to pull off. If the balance isn't just right the horror will be diluted or the comedy will be out-of-place. Raimi though is a master at this and time and again mixes these two contrasting film genres extremely well. Happily, when the film focuses on the horror, it really is scary; the scene in the underground car-park being a standout scene. Mrs Ganush makes for a terrifying villain and her attack on the heroine in the confines of her car is a pure horror moment. When Mrs Ganush's false teeth fall out and she resorts to sucking her victim's face, we are in pure Sam Raimi territory; simultaneously terrifying but laced with a demented humour. This really sums up the film in general.Acting performances are all good and the script is solid. There were a couple of references to Raimi's past work on Evil Dead – the idea that the hero and heroine were planning to go on a break to a cabin in the woods and the recurring appearance of the battered Oldsmobile. Sam Raimi is clearly having fun on this movie – I'm not sure that the same thing could be said in the case of Spider-Man 3 – and when he's having fun, the audience is in for a good ride. This may not be Raimi's best film but it certainly is his most satisfying in a while.
The only thing shocking about this movie is IMDb's rating!...
posted on 24 Aug 2009On the way to the theater, I tell my buddy "This has an 8.0 on IMDb, it MUST be good!" Ummm...No. I've seen better movies on a 3-D View-Master!OK, so the movie begins with the main character, aptly played by the wet-dream-inducing Alison Lohman, getting a cursed placed on her by an old lady who's about to get evicted from her home unless the bank helps her out. Every cliché in the book is thrown at you to get you on the side of Alison, a bank employee who decided to help throw the old lady on the street for the benefit of the bank. (The film-makers resort in their attempt to show remorse towards Alison...to showing the old lady having terrible hygiene, contempt towards Alison, disgusting habits, and emptying the bank candies into her purse). The old lady, by the way, apparently has "powers" the rest of us don't, like the ability to place a deadly curse on others, having super-human strength and tremendous dexterity while fighting, and having the knowledge that Alison could potentially have helped her personally (although she wasn't near the conversation Alison had with the bank manager).The curse described by the old lady then begins happening to Alison. She goes to a palm-reader (a guy who has a knack for not mentioning extremely important things until it's nearly too late) and he tells her that she is cursed.I cannot overstate the stupidity of this palm-reading character (played by Dileep Rao). If there ever was a "Professor for the Occult" at your local University, this character would be it! He informs Alison that she would be tormented by a demon for 3 days...then the demon would come for her and drag her to hell. Alison asks Dileep if there is anything that can be done. He says "Well, you can attempt an animal sacrifice that might appease the demon". (I thought the word "might" wasn't very reassuring for a person in the midst of a fight from hell!) Anyway, Alison doesn't pick up a stray cat or one destined for the back room of her local animal shelter...no, she uses her own precious kitty for the slaughter! After murdering her kitten, she thinks everything is now fine, as a day or so goes by without incident. As the 3-day-clock is ticking down, she gets terrorized by the demon again, goes back to Dileep and proceeds to verbally beat him like a rented mule. Dileep then (AND FINALLY I MIGHT ADD) says "Well...I know this special lady who does exorcists and can drive the demon out...but it's costly, $10,000, and you need the money tonight." ** Note, I yelled out in the theater: "Could you mail that suggestion back to 2 days ago when I originally asked about what can be done?!" -- the crowd began laughing hysterically! ** Anyway, her boyfriend (played by Justin Long's mangina) gets wind that she needs the 10K and gives it to Dileep on her behalf.I'd like to quickly add this eye-rolling sequence. Alison decides to show up at the old lady daughter's creepy mansion of a house to ask for forgiveness and to tell the old hag that she would help her get the house back. The daughter answers the door and tells her to leave...then oddly lets her in after a rude verbal tongue-thrashing. Alison walks into the house...it's very quiet...she is led through some rooms, down some stairs...then asks "Where is she?"...and her host says "Right around the corner"....she turns the corner, and get this, A PARTY IS ENSUING! People drinking, eating, talking...a scene inconsistent with a house that looked as if it hadn't had a visitor in years...and with not many cars parked out in front as Alison walked up...and knowing you hadn't heard a sound the entire time Alison was walking through the house! The scene ends with you finding out that this is actually a gathering for the old lady's funeral. How do you find this out? Alison, not paying attention to where she's walking in an odd house full of strangers, trips over the old lady's casket, making her fall out of the casket and on top of Alison, where the old lady pukes embalming gel all over her face. Wow. You can't make this stuff up.Back to story. Dileep then takes Alison to his psychic friends house. This lady was the most cliché of all the chock-full-of-cliché people in the movie. She was fully equipped with mood-rings, the ugliest new-age jewelry possible, candles galore and items from the occult (one item on her séance table, I noticed, was a dated and dusty jar that was completely empty...oohhhh, scary!). I won't spoil things here, other to say that the exorcism doesn't go well and there's a talking goat. (Yes). After things go badly, and Alison feels she is destined for Hell, Dileep offers up one more piece of advice that would have been best said 2 days ago. (This guy is the king of yesterday's news!) Dileep, amazingly enough, tells her that she can simply give the curse away as a gift...but the recipient would go through the same hell she is and would be dragged to hell themselves in 3 days! Much to my surprise...NOT!...She can't possibly think of ANYONE who she can gift this curse to! She sees an old creaky man...yes!...Oh, his wife shows up, nevermind. She calls her rival at work...she could kill 2 birds with 1 stone by gifting him the curse...Nah, he's too sad now, nevermind! So she decides to, again, get this, go to the graveyard and dig up the body of the old lady so she can shove the gift down her throat! Wow. I told my buddy "She should give it to George W Bush!", lol! But, seriously, she couldn't have visited a prison and gave it to a rapist or murderer? That would have required logic I guess.JD
An aggervating Mess
posted on 24 Aug 2009Now I don't want to seem inexperienced or ramble on about this movie or anything, but I found the movie absolutely mediocre and somewhat annoying to watch. It looks like a lot of money was pured into this mess to make it look like a very memorable horror film,but it is exactly the opposite. All the girl wanted to do was get a promotion for her job and the old woman just finds the need to completely screw her life up. Honestly I know its a movie, but would anyone really extend that woman's loan. She isn't a very reliable person to trust. Anyway, the movie has a very predictable plot with a couple of gag scenes such as, excess blood, vomit, and the constant appearance of this annoying old woman who seems to have some sort of an oral problem. If anything this is a definite date movie to bring your significant other too. Only because it does have a few good jump scenes, but nothing to write home about. The director of Evil Dead brings us a mediocre horror film that doesn't live up to his career. It is almost as comparibly horrible as Boogeyman, but it definitely is a waste of ten dollars and an Hour 1/2 of your life you will never get back. A very forgetfull film that does not deliver at all. 3/10 stars
Lives up to Reputation
posted on 22 Aug 2009This is one of the most hyped up films in the UK at the moment - giving it the tag line of "The scariest horror movie of the decade" and I have to agree with that.I personally do not think that this film has been classified in the right groupings. As a UK 15, yeah OK, its clean language wise but thats about all I would classify as a 15!I would not take a 15 year old to see this film, it would be enough to give most adults nightmares never mind a minor. Me personally.. I would have this film rated as an 18 or a Rated film as I'm not sure it should even be allowed in cinemas, but then again I'm just a wimp when it comes down to horrors.I have to admit, the bits I watched, it had a really good storyline and I would recommend it if you're really into horror movies.
Sam Raimi, Thank you so much for bringing Horror back to the Fans.
posted on 22 Aug 2009Seriously, this guy is a god. I love all his films, including The Evil Dead Series, Darkman, Spiderman Films, and now this is added. I don't care if you love him or hate him, He IS my favorite director, ever. Drag me to Hell is very good. I recommend this film. You'll love it as much as a fat kid loves Cake. Trust me. I saw this on theaters, and everyone, including myself, left with a big smile on our faces. We all ever applaud for a while, until the securities told us to leave.Horror is back and better than ever. I'll definitely Buy this on DVD once it comes out, I'll be the first. Thank you so much Sam, thank you thank you thank you. I can't wait for your upcoming Evil Dead film as well as Spiderman! Keep on rocking man.
my comment may contain spoilers... but I'm not sure
posted on 22 Aug 2009I think that if you change the genre of this movie to comedy/horror instead of thriller/horror most of the viewers would enjoy watching this "masterpiece". I mean, come on!!! the thing with the anvil and the old hag was something that you can see in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. The only way I could watch this movie, was with my fingers stuck deep in my ears, hoping that I wouldn't go deaf by the time it ended. The acting was woody, at best. If you don't consider this movie a comedy, that is.The way that the old gypsy woman sucked the face of the main character should be considered toilet humor, at best. I actually feel insulted that the director thought that anyone should be scared by this movie.If you want to see a real horror movie, I beg all of you, who are tempted: avoid this one at all cost!!!
This is no master piece. So bad....
posted on 30 Aug 2009I'm still trying to find out why everyone thinks this film is wonderful.First off, we have no storyline. We don't know if this film is funny or scary, the acting is at best 10th grade (and I'm a huge fan of Alison Lohman) I think everyone is forgetting about the fact that there needs to be a strong storyline (it doesn't have this. It has an idea, a concept, but never is fully developed, unless you think the old fashion, standard cop-outs work), good acting and most importantly, characters that you care about.The characters make no sense. The girl can kill her cat, but not give away the object to foist this horrible thing onto? Where's the logic in this? If she is so focused on herself to kill her cat, when she's stating she's a humanitarian, then she should have no trouble passing along the button to some miserable slime. So, when did she develop morals? Secondly, plot??? Story?? Hello??? Evil Dead had a strong storyline. This does not. in fact, this movie seems to have had an idea, and was made off an idea, and did a typical, Hollywood cop-out ending instead of thinking of a valid way to make this film wrap up in an intelligent way.Don't waste your money. Go see Knowing. At least the story in that film is strong, original and to me, unique.