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Drag Me to Hell

Play trailer Poster for Drag Me to Hell PG-13 Released May 29, 2009 1h 39m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 267 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) has a loving boyfriend (Justin Long) and a great job at a Los Angeles bank. But her heavenly life becomes hellish when, in an effort to impress her boss, she denies an old woman's request for an extension on her home loan. In retaliation, the crone places a curse on Christine, threatening her soul with eternal damnation. Christine seeks a psychic's help to break the curse, but the price to save her soul may be more than she can pay.
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Drag Me to Hell

Drag Me to Hell

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Critics Consensus

Sam Raimi returns to top form with Drag Me to Hell, a frightening, hilarious, delightfully campy thrill ride.

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Critics Reviews

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Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com It's very well-directed and a total f---ing blast! Rated: B+ Oct 26, 2020 Full Review Kaleem Aftab Independent (UK) When violence appears in Raimi's Drag Me to Hell, it's not meant to be real, often it's hilarious, and what Raimi tries to show is what is going on in the mind of his principal character. May 15, 2018 Full Review Glenn Kenny MUBI At what point does gleeful cynicism become so gleeful that it ceases to function as cynicism at all, and mutates into a blatant formalist trope of little emotional or intellectual resonance, but plenty of aesthetic...what's the word? Bliss? Dec 13, 2017 Full Review Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast Raimi's "return" to horror features cartoonish violence, Evil Dead references, and a great cast that's game for anything. And that's before we talk about the controversial animal murder and mean AF ending. Rated: 4.5/5 May 28, 2024 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand This rollercoaster horror film is like an EC horror comic of the 1950s come to life, an unforgiving morality tale with playfully gruesome twists and a doozy of a gallows humor. Oct 27, 2023 Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sam Raimi cements himself as a master of the horror-comedy, thanks in large part to Alison Lohman's impressively outlandish performance. Arguably Raimi's best balance of humor and horror, and best film, since Evil Dead 2. Rated: 5/5 Sep 22, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Daniel B “Drag Me to Hell” isn’t just a horror movie—it’s a morality play drenched in supernatural absurdity, where seemingly every character is flawed to the point of being downright terrible. From the cursed Christine Brown to her classist boyfriend’s mother, the film populates its world with people who might deserve a karmic slap but instead get an over-the-top Sam Raimi-style sledgehammer. At its core, the film follows Christine, a loan officer who denies an elderly woman, Sylvia Ganush, an extension on her mortgage to impress her boss. This decision unleashes a curse that turns Christine’s life into a grotesque, karmic nightmare. While Christine is portrayed as a victim of her own ambition, she’s far from a saint. Her moral compass falters as she sacrifices everything—even her own cat—in a desperate bid to save herself. And yet, her boyfriend Clay insists she has “a good heart.” Does she, though? The film’s brilliance lies in how it makes you question that claim at every turn. Clay, on the other hand, is supportive but frustratingly passive. He offers comforting platitudes and financial privilege but fails to challenge his overbearing, classist mother, who undermines Christine at every opportunity. His mother, embodying elitism at its worst, provides yet another example of how even the “normal” characters in this film are deeply flawed. The hypocrisy and judgment surrounding Christine only add to her descent into chaos. Even Sylvia Ganush, the wronged party, is no saint. While Christine’s decision to deny her the loan is harsh, Sylvia’s response—cursing Christine to eternal damnation—feels more than a little excessive. Ganush’s grotesque, vindictive character straddles the line between tragic victim and monstrous force, amplifying the film’s darkly comedic tone. Director Sam Raimi layers this tale with the campy horror and visceral gags he’s known for, blending moments of genuine terror with absurdly grotesque humor. It’s a masterclass in tonal whiplash, where morality feels as slippery as the fluids Raimi gleefully splashes across the screen. But what makes Drag Me to Hell so fascinating is its commentary on karma and moral relativism. Nobody here is truly good or bad—just selfish in their own ways. Christine’s ambition and desperation, Clay’s passivity, his mother’s judgmental elitism, and Ganush’s over-the-top revenge all paint a picture of a world where everyone is complicit in their own downfall. Even Christine’s poor cat, a true innocent, doesn’t escape unscathed. Raimi’s world is one where moral compromise has immediate and catastrophic consequences. In the end, Drag Me to Hell isn’t about heroes or villains—it’s about the messy, selfish choices people make when their backs are against the wall. And while the film delivers its karmic justice with a gleeful sense of humor, it doesn’t let you off the hook for questioning whether anyone here deserved to be saved. Final Verdict: A darkly comedic morality tale wrapped in Raimi’s signature gross-out horror, Drag Me to Hell is a wild ride through a world where even the “good” characters aren’t so good. Whether you find that satisfying or frustrating depends on how much you enjoy watching terrible people meet their karmic doom. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/11/24 Full Review Jonathan O Sam Raimi's Drag me to Hell is really outrageously hilarious and id really really scary horror film masterpiece and it really feels like one of evil dead universe and is only the best PG-13 horror film and the rise of better PG-13 horror with jumped scares and really incredible special make-up effects by KNB crew. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Edward V I was surprised at how gross a movie with very little violence and gore could be. The sound effects used for the old lady Mrs. Ganush had me closing my eyes and cringing in my seat, wishing I could purge my ears and memory from hearing such awful noises. Aside from that, very little in the movie is scary, there is very little to no thematical depth, and I found the acting to be a bit lackluster. However, I suppose that is all in the spirit of horror comedy fun; and this is definitely more of a horror comedy that horror, whether intentionally or unintentionally. I just wish I knew I'd be laughing more than anything else watching this film. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 10/30/24 Full Review Rami A Director Sam Raimi, who we all know as the man behind the "Spider-Man" and "The Evil Dead" trilogies is at his best here. When it comes to directing, he can perfectly capture the symbolism and imagery with all the visual stuff, no matter how cheesy it can get. This distinctive style might be why I didn't find it as scary; his approach is simply unique and recognizable. However, that doesn’t mean it's a bad movie. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/28/24 Full Review Stephen H Really enjoyed this movie! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/27/24 Full Review Greg's V It's an entertaining Sam Raimi movie, I enjoyed it. I think the people that did not like the movie may have not realized that it is a horror comedy. It's campy, silly, funny and spooky in all the right ways. (spoiler ahead) The only thing I had a problem with was the ending, perhaps too dark for the film. It's a fun watch! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/21/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Drag Me to Hell

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Drag Me to Hell

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Movie Info

Synopsis Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) has a loving boyfriend (Justin Long) and a great job at a Los Angeles bank. But her heavenly life becomes hellish when, in an effort to impress her boss, she denies an old woman's request for an extension on her home loan. In retaliation, the crone places a curse on Christine, threatening her soul with eternal damnation. Christine seeks a psychic's help to break the curse, but the price to save her soul may be more than she can pay.
Director
Sam Raimi
Producer
Rob Tapert, Grant Curtis
Screenwriter
Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Ghost House Pictures
Rating
PG-13 (Language|Disturbing Images|Sequences of Horror Violence|Terror)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 29, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$42.1M
Runtime
1h 39m
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