MOVE REVIEW
DRAG ME TO HELL
Opening with an 80's era Universal logo, there's a sense that director Sam Raimi wants to re-set the clock. Using old studio monikers seems to be a recent trend applied by others in creating a nostalgic mood. You can't really blame them as horror films in the last decade have descended into a well of remakes and gore-fests. Whilst Drag Me To Hell has its share of grisly frights, its playfulness with genre convention enables it to stand out with its own devilishly macabre imprint.
Desperate to obtain a promotion within her bank, loans officer Christine (Alison Lohman) faces a crucial test. When customer Mrs Ganush (Lorna Raver) pleas for an extension on her mortgage, Christine ignores her personal pity and refuses. Angered at this slight, the old woman places a gypsy curse on Christine whereby a demon will come to take her to hellish depths. Wanting to escape this seemingly inevitable fate, she turns to boyfriend Clint (Justin Long) and fortune teller Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) for help in banishing this evil from her once rosy existence.
Strange as this may sound, Drag Me To Hell's noticeable feature is its pure joyfulness. This is derived from Raimi's obvious pleasure in echoing his early Evil Dead days by delivering a thumping spook-fest. Although this doesn't mean blood and guts galore or does he feel any need to take this easy route. From its lurid title to tongue in cheek acting, there's a real feeling for the care gone into making a coherent and fiendishly ghoulish time. It's this effort in providing an imaginative movie which makes it appealing. Raimi's creativity in providing the right scary ingredients proves he hasn't forgotten the genre that established his career.
With a lot of good horror films, there's always an element of warning fable attached. Paying the price for ignoring her own beliefs, Christine's undoing comes from an older woman using her own to wreak revenge. This theme is successfully expressed by a good cast bravely confronting the pyrotechnics placed in their way. Interestingly the majority of scares occur in daylight which perhaps reflects a desire to prove sunshine hours are no deterrent from terror. Assisted by a fantastically booming soundtrack, the scares are more than equalled by the stylish humour Raimi knows his audience want to experience.
One should be grateful that good horror films can still be made that are actually scary. It's also pleasing knowing that Raimi can still mix genres with ease, something to which upcoming film-makers should aspire.
Move Review Rating 8 / 10
Movie Review by Patrick Moore Drag Me To Hell released in Australia on Thursday 23rd July 2009.
If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Drag Me To Hell
Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.
Desperate to obtain a promotion within her bank, loans officer Christine (Alison Lohman) faces a crucial test. When customer Mrs Ganush (Lorna Raver) pleas for an extension on her mortgage, Christine ignores her personal pity and refuses. Angered at this slight, the old woman places a gypsy curse on Christine whereby a demon will come to take her to hellish depths. Wanting to escape this seemingly inevitable fate, she turns to boyfriend Clint (Justin Long) and fortune teller Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) for help in banishing this evil from her once rosy existence.
Strange as this may sound, Drag Me To Hell's noticeable feature is its pure joyfulness. This is derived from Raimi's obvious pleasure in echoing his early Evil Dead days by delivering a thumping spook-fest. Although this doesn't mean blood and guts galore or does he feel any need to take this easy route. From its lurid title to tongue in cheek acting, there's a real feeling for the care gone into making a coherent and fiendishly ghoulish time. It's this effort in providing an imaginative movie which makes it appealing. Raimi's creativity in providing the right scary ingredients proves he hasn't forgotten the genre that established his career.
With a lot of good horror films, there's always an element of warning fable attached. Paying the price for ignoring her own beliefs, Christine's undoing comes from an older woman using her own to wreak revenge. This theme is successfully expressed by a good cast bravely confronting the pyrotechnics placed in their way. Interestingly the majority of scares occur in daylight which perhaps reflects a desire to prove sunshine hours are no deterrent from terror. Assisted by a fantastically booming soundtrack, the scares are more than equalled by the stylish humour Raimi knows his audience want to experience.
One should be grateful that good horror films can still be made that are actually scary. It's also pleasing knowing that Raimi can still mix genres with ease, something to which upcoming film-makers should aspire.
Move Review Rating 8 / 10
Movie Review by Patrick Moore Drag Me To Hell released in Australia on Thursday 23rd July 2009.
If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Drag Me To Hell
Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.
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