Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell is a film that you either love or hate; there are a number of reasons for viewers to lean in either direction. The opening scene in the film depicts a young boy, possessed by a demon of some sort, brought to a medium with the hope that this demon will be exercised from his body. Viewers are quickly made to understand the severity of the boy’s situation as he struggles to fight the entity that has taken over his body and mind. The scene is cheesy, but it is understood, very early (due to this scene), how intense the film may come to be. Shortly after, we are introduced to our protagonist, Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), and the simple, yet happy, life that she lives. Through a series of events, Christine finds herself in a similar situation to the young boy at the beginning of the film. With the help of intense blood and gore, some severely graphic images and a very likeable character, Raimi hooks the audience and nearly forces them to root for Christine. The film, regardless of how bloody it can be remains corny (at times) and sometimes comical due to the nature of some of the other characters and their beliefs. Towards the end of the film, Christine finds a way to right the wrongs and steady her life with her boyfriend, Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Within the final minutes of the film there is an incredible twist of fate for one of the characters that leaves audiences feeling one of two ways: satisfied or horrified. With everything that takes place throughout the course of the film and this surprise ending, like previously mentioned, audiences are left asking themselves, “did I like it?” I have personally come to love the ending and appreciate the picture that Raimi paints for me. The film does not just focus on demons and the supernatural; these images are used as vehicles for symbolism to accurately and effectively depict a secondary story of kindness and salvation. Through this secondary story, Raimi allows the audience a different way to buy into the film. They have the ability to appreciate the film at face value or delve deeper into the potential meaning Raimi intended. Either way, the film reaches audiences and is incredibly well put together. For fans of horror, this film should be at the top of your list to view. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1127180/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
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