So I went to see Drag Me to Hell last week, on the recommendations of many respectable critics. I was mightily entertained and often found myself contracting towards the fetal position, gasping, hands placed over mouth for much of the movie. This behavior was usually followed by hysterical laughter prompted by the ridiculousness of what I had just seen on screen (think old gypsy woman missing her dentures doing what could only be described as aggressively "slimeing" our heroine). To me, this is the cardinal hallmark of a good horror movie. Any material that prompts me to physically react to it has been well executed. Bonus: There was a lot of body fluids being shot around in this movie, usually into other people's open orifices. Loved it. Also, this movie should win awards for best sound effects / sound editing. I challenege anyone to find a film with more effective use of squishing noises.
However, a horror movie cannot rest on quality gross out scenes alone. It's unfortunate that the scenes of grotesquely indulgent fun were bookended by cheesy, mood breaking, treacly encounters, usually involving the unappealing Justin Long. He really grosses me out, and any suggestions of a sexual relationship between him and the lead left me feeling queesy. Had Long been replaced by a charming, attractive love interest, the movie could have been risen above the mundane, but just barely.
The writing and logic of the scenes that took place between attacks by the lamia (amazing name for a demon) were dealbreakers. This woman would be losing her shit. She is violently assaulted by an old gypsy woman, told by a seer that a curse is on her, and is then attacked by invisible forces in her kitchen, chased upstairs and flung around her attic by a demon. She would be going bat-shit crazy. Instead, she decides not to relate any of this to her boyfriend, but instead agrees to spend a leisurely evening getting dressed up and meeting his folks. Then the next day she walks into her bosses office, casually chatting with him as if she hadn't projectile nose-hemoraged onto him the previous afternoon. What? No. I don't care if you're making a pulping gross out horror flick, the logic still has to be there.
Certainly any fan of horror flick should check out this movie, just don't expect a grade-A experience throughout the entire movie, as some other critics have suggested. Still, it's a fun ride and probably more entertaining that 90% of the summer schlock available right now.
My grade?
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