After the bloated excess of Spiderman 3, Sam Raimi returns to his roots with this throwaway but entertaining horror. Alison Lohman star as Christine Brown, a loan officer, who, after turning down an elderly woman’s offer of an extension on her mortgage payments, finds herself the victim of a curse which in three days will Drag Her To Hell. There is also much for Christine to endure in the build up to the three days as she is haunted by nightmarish visions of the old woman, invisible forces push her around and she is stalked by the shadow of a goat. If you’re laughing at that last bit, then you’ve nailed the idea of the movie on it’s head. Comic-horror is one of the most difficult genres, but for Raimi it’s a stroll in the park. Tense scenes are quickly followed by guffaws, though on occasions it almost becomes parody. Some people may complain about the below average CGI and cheap scare tactics (LOUD MUSIC), but in this current climate of bloody horrors this movie actually feels like a breath of fresh air. Though you may still feel queasy in parts, as, even though there is no gore, there is plenty of gross. However, it will make you jump from your seat, dig your fingernails into the person sitting next to you (it’s a classic Friday night date movie if ever there was one) while also being allowed the release of a good belly laugh at the absurdness of it all (Don’t we all keep Anvil’s hanging from our garage ceilings?). Though amazingly for a horror movie involving a cat, it doesn’t employ the arbitrary “cat jumping out from cupboard” scare. This is a smart return to form for Raimi, and you can’t help but wish that he’d leave Spidey alone for a while longer and give us another full blown horror.
The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Gorehounds and some horror veterans may not stir too much in their seats, but this is still an entertaining night out. Rating: 6/10.
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