Every day for the month of October, Coming Soon is making a new horror movie recommendation for those eager to find a new frightening flick for Halloween. From the creepy goodness of a classy ghost story to a blood-spattered gorefest and everything in between, we’ll have something for every taste of horror. And today’s pick is…
Drag Me to Hell
What’s Drag Me to Hell about: Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) works as a loan officer for a typical bank where she spends most of her time dealing with angry customers, running errands for her boss, and competing with an annoying co-worker for a promotion. Said boss does not believe Christine has what it takes to make the tough decisions the promotion requires, leading her to prove her mettle by denying an elderly gypsy woman a third mortgage extension. Angered by Christine’s decision, the gypsy attacks her in a parking garage and curses a button on the young woman’s jacket. Christine soon finds herself at the mercy of an evil demon called the “Lamia” who will torment her for three days and eventually drag her to Hell so long as she remains the owner of the cursed object. The film was co-written and directed by Sam Raimi.
Why Drag Me to Hell rules: After the stunning catastrophe that was Spider-Man 3 (and after being ousted from the franchise altogether) director Sam Raimi returned to his roots and crafted this marvelously entertaining thriller/dark comedy. Like the classic Evil Dead films, Drag Me To Hell features a hefty dose of creepiness peppered with moments of (PG-13) violence (some of it rendered in admittedly shotty CGI) not unlike the hijinks typically reserved for a Looney Toons short — right down to the bit where a curiously placed anvil smashes down a woman’s head — all shot through Raimi’s trademark kinetic camera movements. Throw in a deliciously creepy score by Christopher Young, colorful cinematography by Peter Deming, and an absolutely game performance by Alison Lohman and you have yourself a thrillingly haunting modern-horror extravaganza. The séance sequence alone is worth the price of admission. Classic Raimi.
How scary is Drag Me to Hell: More creepy than outright scary, Drag Me To Hell plays more like a non-stop montage of gross-out gags and dark comedic set pieces than a typical horror film. Think Evil Dead, just more mainstream and without all the gore. That’s not to say the movie is without elements of horror. Stuffed between the over-the-top violence — extreme bloody noses, flies in the pie, and girl-on-gypsy fight sequences — is a creepy, even cynical chiller about a sweet natured woman forced to endure the wrath of a violent demon; a situation that drives her to commit unsavory acts as she tries to keep her soul from eternal damnation. You truly care about Christine right down to the bitter end. This one may not scare you, but it gets under your skin and leaves quite the lasting impression. Plus, it’s a lot of wholesome family fun — assuming your family enjoys watching a person vomit maggots onto another person’s face. No judgments here!
Be on the lookout for: Keep a close watch for some fun references to the Evil Dead films, including Raimi’s fabled 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 that first appeared in the 1982 classic and pops up here as the gypsy woman’s preferred ride. Even Christine’s line, “I’m gonna get some” serves as a reference to Ash’s famed “Come get some” from Evil Dead. Can we please get a sequel featuring Ash and Christine teaming up to fight the Lamia?
Where to watch Drag Me to Hell: The film is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video. You can also pick up your own copy of the Collector’s edition Blu-ray by clicking here.
CS October Horror Movie Recommendations:
October 1 – Session 9
October 2 – Bubba Ho-Tep
October 3 – City of the Dead
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
