Writer: Nur Safina Othman

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Watch this if you liked: "The Exorcist", "Evil Dead" movies

What else can we say about this movie other than it's absolutely awesome? "Drag Me To Hell" is a grand horror opus - chilling, audacious and occasionally hilarious. After turning the "Spider-Man" franchise into a global movie phenomenon, it seems like director Sam Raimi returns to his roots in the horror genre where he first came to be known with the classic "Evil Dead" movies.

This movie written by Raimi brothers Sam and Ivan tells the story of a young woman named Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a loan officer who denies a mortgage extension to an old lady, Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver). The decision proves damning as she ends up on the wrong end of a gypsy curse that makes her the target of an ancient goat-like demon, the Lamia, who would torment her for three days before taking her soul.

The movie scares you right from the beginning with a little boy being targeted by a demon after he steals a gypsy necklace. It opens the movie perfectly. The plot of the movie is pretty easy to understand and it's interesting from the beginning until the end. There is plenty of humour in this movie but the minute it wants to get scary or disturbing, it does without any hesitation. You really get some effective jumps. One of the best scenes in the movie involves a fight between Mrs. Ganush and Christine at a car park. The fight is brutal, scary, painful to watch and amusing, all at the same time!

Acting-wise, Alison Lohman (who replaced Juno's Ellen Page after she was dropped out in early stages of production) does a great performance as Christine Brown in this movie even though there are few scenes where Lohman ("Beowulf") doesn't show any emotion. She however sure does get all kinds of gross stuff poured on her face. Lorna Raver who plays Mrs. Ganush is also fantastic in her role - she is creepy, scary and gross. As for the other actors such as Justin Long (Brown's boyfriend) and Dileep Rao (mystic Rham Jas), they play their role very well.

The movie is very well crafted and those wide-panning shots will have audiences clutching at their chairs. The CGI in the movie are well done and the special make-up effects on Mrs. Ganush face are very realistic.

Catch this horror flick because you will not be disappointed. "Drag Me To Hell" is different from the other horror movies of late because it's full of scary scenes with a touch of humour. Definitely one of the best horror movies to have arrived for a long time!

Cinema Online, 11 June 2009