DRAG ME TO HELL
Official Site:
Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver Rating - MA15+ for Strong Violence and Themes. Tagline - Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future, BUT in 3 days...She's going to hell. Theatrical Release: July 23, 2009 DVD Release: December 28, 2009 2-disc collector's edition exclusive to JB HI-FI BOX OFFICE: Heavily promoted, the film opened and averaged $7,574 at 139 sites with a gross of $1,052,821. It then had top 20 weekend decreases of 46%,59% and 76%, and has finished theatrical release with a gross of $2,658,329 which makes it one of of the more successful horror's of 09', even with a not so great gross. DVD Special Features: Disc 1: (Standard Edition) Disc 2: * 14 Video Production Diaries |
Plot Synopsis, and Review
When Christine Brown, a bank worker, knocks back an elderly woman on an extended mortgage payment, she is cursed. She is tormented by noises, and visions over three days, and must stop the evil spirit before Christine herself, is dragged to hell.
Daring. To me, the genre of horror is really easy to make a film of, but whether it works or not is a differen't story. Most horror's aim for scares, but this new flick written and directed by the director of the classic "Evil Dead trilogy", is back to his roots, and the film has comic elements, which in other horror movies, fails to work, but in this film, the comedy isn't by characters trying to be funny, but more being realistic, even if that is an elderly woman with no teeth sucking on the face of the lead character. The films scares were genuine, even if they were seen coming. The premise is a really interesting one, and the tagline is in your face, and although the last minute of the film wasn't expected, the events leading up to that, were somewhat predictable. Sitting in a cinema watching the film, and so many parts of the movie made me cringe, was great, and that is what makes a good horror movie, making the audience cringe. The make-up effects were excellent.
The plot is great. The dialogue may have been a little to comical for my liking, but it was mostly good. Just the plot summary is enough to get someone hooked, because it is in your face, and gets straight to the point. There was a scene towards the end that was a little too long, and purely funny, that really dragged away from the atmosphere of the film.
The acting was definately one of the big highlights of the film. "Alison Lohman" was "Christine", and was great. She has this weird but intriguingly realistic scream, and a gentle voice, and some scenes were so powerfully gritty, it was great. Initially "Ellen Page" (Juno, Hard Candy" was to play "Christine" but thank-fully pulled out, I doubt she could've been able to handle the role, and wouldn't suit it. ."Lorna Raver" played the gypsy/elderly woman "Mrs Ganush", who curses "Christine", and I must say, to me, she was definately the star of the film. As an older woman, she can really pull off the "old evil hag" look really well, just based on her facial expressions, and the make-up. She was just great to watch. Supporting role went to "Justin Long" as the boyfriend, who although didn't have a major part in the film, did give believability to the audience.
Overall "Drag Me To Hell" is evil, in-your-face, comical and is definately one of the better genre pics of late. My rating is 4/5.
Daring. To me, the genre of horror is really easy to make a film of, but whether it works or not is a differen't story. Most horror's aim for scares, but this new flick written and directed by the director of the classic "Evil Dead trilogy", is back to his roots, and the film has comic elements, which in other horror movies, fails to work, but in this film, the comedy isn't by characters trying to be funny, but more being realistic, even if that is an elderly woman with no teeth sucking on the face of the lead character. The films scares were genuine, even if they were seen coming. The premise is a really interesting one, and the tagline is in your face, and although the last minute of the film wasn't expected, the events leading up to that, were somewhat predictable. Sitting in a cinema watching the film, and so many parts of the movie made me cringe, was great, and that is what makes a good horror movie, making the audience cringe. The make-up effects were excellent.
The plot is great. The dialogue may have been a little to comical for my liking, but it was mostly good. Just the plot summary is enough to get someone hooked, because it is in your face, and gets straight to the point. There was a scene towards the end that was a little too long, and purely funny, that really dragged away from the atmosphere of the film.
The acting was definately one of the big highlights of the film. "Alison Lohman" was "Christine", and was great. She has this weird but intriguingly realistic scream, and a gentle voice, and some scenes were so powerfully gritty, it was great. Initially "Ellen Page" (Juno, Hard Candy" was to play "Christine" but thank-fully pulled out, I doubt she could've been able to handle the role, and wouldn't suit it. ."Lorna Raver" played the gypsy/elderly woman "Mrs Ganush", who curses "Christine", and I must say, to me, she was definately the star of the film. As an older woman, she can really pull off the "old evil hag" look really well, just based on her facial expressions, and the make-up. She was just great to watch. Supporting role went to "Justin Long" as the boyfriend, who although didn't have a major part in the film, did give believability to the audience.
Overall "Drag Me To Hell" is evil, in-your-face, comical and is definately one of the better genre pics of late. My rating is 4/5.