Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots and makes one hell (pun intended) of a movie in “Drag Me to Hell.” It’s got barf gags, slapstick comedy, eye-popping’ stunts and Alison Lohman mud wrestling. This movie had me looking at my friend to my right for fear of things popping out. You know what you’re getting into with the 80’s Universal logo and the cheesy but cool “Drag Me to Hell” title.

Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) works as a loan officer and is trying to get promoted. Her boss (David Paymer) wants her to be tough and impassive if she wants to get a higher position. Big mistake because of her decision, her life will be turned upside down.  An old lady named Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) visits her and asks for help because her house was going to be taken away from her. Christine declines her request, and Mrs. Ganush begs with no luck. We find out that Mrs. Ganush is a Gypsy and puts a spell on Christine after stalking her in the parking structure and hiding in her car.

She tells her boyfriend (Justin Long) that she’s cursed, but he doesn’t believe it. What follows after is her life being tormented by spirits and her reality becoming a nightmare including nose bleeds that squirts out like sprinklers, bugs messing with you while you sleep, creepy demon shadows everywhere you turn, and being harassed by the old gypsy lady. These encounters are very funny and intense and is reminiscent of what Bruce Campbell encountered in the Evil Dead series with creepy horror elements that’s very cartoonish like when Christine drops an anvil on a ghost that results in the ghost’s eyes popping out and Christine wrestling with a dead body that ends up with the dead vomiting on her mouth to mouth. Sick and funny, I love it.

“Drag Me to Hell” is always keeping you on your toes and throwing scares at you every chance it gets. Sam Raimi’s still got his touch. Just imagine Drag Me to Hell as the Ring meets Evil Dead and what you have is a mix of zany classic horror scariness.

Grade: A-

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