Drag Me to Hell

Excellent in terms of atmosphere, with good performances , and technically at least above average. Sam Raimi doesn't hold back and delivers a fairly entertaining, albeit simple, piece. Alison Lohman's delicacy beautifully contrasts with the unpleasant setting, the ominous sky, and the brutal performance by Lorna Raver. Only that green slime wasn't quite my cup of tea. (11/14/2009)

It lacks atmosphere for a horror. On the other hand, it has too many jumps waiting which let you know about themselves long ahead of time. I jumped just once and that was when a friend brushed against my hand when reaching for his drink. I hope it was by mistake. The black humor scenes work nicely, but there aren’t enough of them to make this work as a comedy. Apart from the “Itchy and Scratchy" fights between Christine and Mrs. Ganush, not much memorable happened. And Raimi without Bruce... Those words just don’t fit together in one sentence. But it’s true and it’s doubly disappointing when you realize that the role of Milos would fit him like a glove. In fact, I can’t believe that it wasn’t originally intended for him. (06/21/2009)

Figure skating through different film genres, with a boldness spiced up with a unique creative signature. Sam Raimi is a genius who has mastered everything from jump scares and spooky atmospheres to social humor and Hitchcock-like family dinners. But the combination of witty humor and polished horror is not to everyone’s taste. That’s why I prefer the first Evil Dead to the second for the reason that it is a pure horror movie... and I love Jackson’s Braindead for the reason that it is a pure comedy. I’ve never liked when these two genres get mixed. But I’m still giving this film four stars, mainly for Sam’s refined perfectionism. (07/07/2009)

I've never been so fucked up with a horror movie, and I thought I'd seen a lot of stuff. The creepy atmosphere could literally cut through a chainsaw at times. Alison Lohman was great and likeable, and I have no words for the granny. The big downside for me was the large number of overly absurd scenes, like the bloody handkerchief or the vomiting, and the animation of the critters and during the attacks on the main character. Still, I highly recommend it, especially for those who like to be scared. (02/07/2010)

A masterful game with genre tropes that manages to thrill, frighten, and entertain, often all within a single scene. After Spider-Man 3, Raimi makes it clear that he hasn't lost his judgment and knows how to entertain himself and the audience. Anyone who gives it less than three stars simply hasn't understood that Raimi made a fool of them. 4 ½. (08/27/2009)