The prodigal Sam

It has been 16 years since Sam Raimi last tried his hand at directing a horror film, but the "auteur" behind the Spider-Man franchise is back in a big way with Drag Me to Hell.

Before establishing himself as a shaper of summer blockbusters, Raimi brought us campy cult horror classics like The Evil Dead (1981) and Army of Darkness (1992), all displaying his mastery of the conventions of the genre (suspense, special effects and gore), as well as a quick (if unrelentingly juvenile) comedic wit.

Drag Me to Hell stands with the best of Raimi's early work. It's centered on the travails of a dim but earnest loan officer named Christine (played by the apple-cheeked Allison Lohman). In a turn that brings new meaning to the phrase "foreclosure crisis," Christine becomes quite literally cursed to hell when she refuses to extend additional credit to an ominous old woman named Mrs. Ganush, who has fallen on hard times.

The central theme - which starts out as a skewed version of the Golden Rule enforced by a vigilante bogeywoman - is quickly abandoned in lieu of "every woman for herself," as Christine resorts to increasingly sinister measures in a futile scramble to elude her fate. This will find our damned loan officer attempting everything from animal sacrifice to combating a corpse to appease the goat-headed demon summoned by Mrs. Ganush to cart Christine's soul off to the abyss.

The story does wear thin in places - it is, after all, a horror movie - and the stereotypes and tropes are about as subtle as a chainsaw. But the plot moves along from one supernatural encounter to the next at a brisk pace that leaves little room for discontent. Much of this is due to the deft camera work by Raimi and his cinematographer Peter Deming, which makes the most of the art of suggestion. They continually direct the eye to just the right place, effortlessly negotiating the line between too much and too little detail.

It's a pleasure to see that Raimi's long-dormant talents have come back to life with Drag Me to Hell. While his more recent directorial filmography might be politely described as "by-the-numbers," it's certainly less depressing than the producer's mark he has managed to scratch on the Hollywood horror slop bucket: The Grudge (2004), Boogeyman (2005) and 30 Days of Night (2007) are just plain depressing.

Drag Me to Hell is a true return to form after Raimi's inadequate, albeit lucrative, Spidey outings. Unlike that series' cartoonish CGI, the special effects here have an almost nostalgic look and feel about them. Also, the Spider-Man epics seemed to drown out Raimi's self-deprecating sense of humor, and interfered with his kinetic directorial style. By comparison, the low-budget Drag Me to Hell is taut, inventive and refreshingly funny. Raimi's script (co-written with his brother Ivan) is self-conscious in all the right ways, taking shots at its own defects and excesses and going after laughs at its own expense.

In place of excessive violence (this isn't torture porn), Raimi amps up the gross-out factor. There's rotting flesh and bile by the keg, eliciting as many "eeews" from the audience as shrieks. Which isn't to say there's a want of screams. Raimi alternates humor and suspense like a one-two punch combination, crafting an experience akin to a theme park ride bearing the moniker Giggle and Jump.

Raimi also has much better luck with his actors in Drag Me to Hell. Forget the leaden performances of Tobey Maguire and (it should go without saying) Kirsten Dunst in that superhero franchise. Lohman is extremely effective as Christine, exhibiting enough vulnerability to engender empathy, while providing just enough witlessness for us to take pleasure in her torment.

Justin Long is, as usual, good for laughs (if little else) as the eager-to-please, upwardly mobile boyfriend. As Mrs. Ganush, Lorna Raver takes the caricature of the evil, unhygienic gypsy to a whole new level, relishing each revengeful outrage down to the gristle.

One does sense a sort of relief amid the press' euphoric acclaim (Drag Me to Hell received a warm reception at Cannes in May), due in part to the expectations of critics (this one included) who approached the film expecting a tedious, teen-oriented horror flick. Like a wine aficionado taken aback by a decent boxed Chardonnay, surprise can have intoxicating effects.

At any rate, this is vintage Raimi. Whatever happens next - The Evil Dead IV is slated for 2011, though Raimi is currently credited only as a producer, and the prospect of Spider-Man 4 notwithstanding - Raimi's return to his directorial roots is a welcome reminder of his peculiar gifts.

James Walling can be reached at
jwalling@praguepost.com