Within five minutes of Sam Raimi's latest comedy/horror film, I knew I was going to fall in love with it. In fact, even before entering the theater I had ordered and framed the gorgeous poster of the film, which features Alison Lohman screaming in profile while gnarly hands are reaching up for her out of the flames of hell. Upon first seeing the poster I believe I had a sharp intake of breath in between eBay clicks---the poster, and the film itself, are throwbacks to a bygone era of campy/fun/creepy horror thematics which Hollywood has neglected to seduce us with for many a moon. That's not to say I was actually frightened by anything in Drag Me To Hell---I was desensitized years ago when I was a young seed. But I sure as hell laughed and exclaimed my way through a film which does indeed feel like a roller coaster---in short, it's thrilling. I have always had a certain respect for Mr. Raimi--after all, he's the creator of The Evil Dead trilogy, the camp-fest Darkman (1990), and the criminally underrated The Gift (2000). After the third (and sadly, not the final) Spider Man film, I felt Mr. Raimi might just be collecting fat paychecks---but now we're seeing the rewards of churning out studio bullshit---you can get studios to release your own shit---and Raimi's shit does not disappoint. Filled with gross out gags (including maggots, flies, dentures, popping eyeballs and various bodily fluids) and plenty of humor, Raimi's film also has a decent story that doesn't depend on merciless torture or convoluted plot lines like the neverending wave of shocktart horror porn popularized in the Americas (and now popping up in other waves of horror, like France's lastest addition Martyrs- 2008). Thank some small deity for Ellen Page backing out of this project---poor thing couldn't have gone to hell fast enough for my taste. Alison Lohman stars as our heroine, the loan officer with a heart of gold, and she's perfect for the role. In the running for a major promotion at her bank, Lohman denies an old gypsy a third extension on her mortgage loan. The old bitch, of course, curses her by making an icky demon torment her and drag her soul to hell. Now, I don't know about everyone else, but I did happen to spend a greater part of the film feeling bad for Lohman---poor thing was just doing her job--it's not her fault some old crone can't make her payments. Critics tend to be pointing to the timeliness of the themes in Drag Me To Hell, but really, this is what some of the best horror films ever made have done---the construction of horrific circumstances around current and realistic situations. Regardless, Lohman spends the rest of the film attempting to appease the demon so as it will not take her soul (yes, she kills her poor, darling kitty---however, the demon seems to be PETA friendly). Justin Long stars as her loving and understanding boyfriend with awful upper echelon parents (reminiscent of the in-laws and their reaction to Diane Baker in Strait Jacket-1964). At their first meeting, Lohman brings a cake to a dinner with Long's parents. Long's mother disdainfully eyes the cake, perniciously inquiring "What kind of cake is it?" Without a thought, the words "A Fuck-You Cake," fell out of my mouth. Thankfully the young women sitting in front of me shared my humor as they jocosely agreed with my introduction of the cake.
There's plenty of moments in Drag Me To Hell that made me giddy from the sheer visual pleasure I gleaned from them---not least of all the awesome ending, which plays as a nice homage to the creepy, occult horror classic, Night of the Demon (1957).
It's been rumored that Sam Raimi is going to direct the next movie in the Twilight series. So yeah, I'm sure he would still like to collect his fat paychecks. Wow, you really don't like poor little Ellen Page. And I'd like to see you bake a fuck-you cake.
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