comment #1

Luke Y. Thompson says ...

In answer to Nick...no.

The whole point is that the punishment is disproportionate. Otherwise there'd be no reason to sympathize.

comment #2

Scott Howard says ...

You liked Terminator Salvation but hated Drag Me to Hell? Are you Bizarro Jeffrey?

comment #3

Calraigh Bracken says ...

Precisely, LYT. And honestly, if that hasn't been ''assimilated'' shall we say, then it's safe to assume Mr. Wells didn't get it. And never will.

I'm still reeling from the Terminator/McG pass.

comment #4

Alboone says ...

Great point LYT.

Sorry Wells, although you claim to get the movie, in actuality you didn't. It has a shlocky B-movie identity and doesn't shy away from it. That's why it's successful.

As for Terminator...I don't get it. Maybe you had some action the night before and were feeling extremely generous when you got to the screening.

That franchise is done. End of story.

comment #5

Rich S. says ...

This movie is Raimi's take on the old classic Curse of the Demon. Dana Andrews didn't particularly deserve what was coming to him, either. But curses can be illogical.

Lohman's sin wasn't what she did, but that she refused to take ownership of it. But so what? It was almost a MacGuffin, an excuse for 90 minutes of Raimi funhouse horror excess. The movie had that in spades and was the most unapologetic fun I've had in a theater in ages.

comment #6

hh says ...

A friend of mine worked with Raimi on the Evil Dead. Raimi had a hysterical set of "rules" regarding his horror film. The first was something along the lines of, "The innocent must always be punished."

Drag Me To Hell was a masterfully made film. It's a ride in which your scared shitless and laughing simultaneously. For me this, is what a Movie, with a capital 'M' should be. Great, fun ride of a film; tightly constructed and written, relentless and more laughs than most Will Ferrell movies...

comment #7

Asokan says ...

I'm with Wells on this one... I just didn't care for the lead character in "Drag Me to Hell"... she's not despicable enough to deserve all that's happening to her and not likeable enough for us to care if she makes it or not.

It's your standard B-horror-flick with nothing distinctive or surprising about it whatsoever... hell, I enjoyed the mess that was "Spider-Man 3" more than this bland piece...

Haven't seen T4 though...

comment #8

Steven Kar says ...

Finally, someone said it. DMTH was grossly overpraised.

Now I wish he'd come to his senses about his Terminator review.

comment #9

jse33 says ...

I don't get the praise either. There was nothing remotely fun or exciting in this movie. I guess I should have saved my money and just watched Evil Dead 2 again.

comment #10

Movie fan09 says ...

I just didn't care for the lead character in "Drag Me to Hell"... she's not despicable enough to deserve all that's happening to her and not likeable enough for us to care if she makes it or not.

yea, but it was more fun that anything i've seen in a while.

comment #11

actionman says ...

theater or dvd...theater or dvd...theater or dvd?

comment #12

bents75 says ...

You won't like it as much on dvd actionman - it's better served in a relatively full theater, or at least with several friends (preferably stoned).

When every other scare/joke/gag in the movie involves some other object or body part going into Lohman's mouth - you need that collective gasp of disgust to really enjoy it, so to speak.

It's not high art, but that's the whole point. Anyone who says Evil Dead 2 is some masterpiece but knocks this movie (I'm looking at you jse33) is full of it. It's cut from the exact same cloth. It's fun and completely forgettable. Which means it has at least one more thing going for it than 98% of all other horror films released.

comment #13

RustysaGoodDog says ...

Wells, can't believe you didn't just settle in and enjoy the scary fun of DMTH. Because of your jet lag your sense of humor must still be somewhere over the Atlantic.

comment #14

p.Vice says ...

Because nobody is getting it: Jeffrey thought Terminator was passable because it's a McG movie, which puts its at about zero on the chances-of-actually-being-good meter (on a scale of 0 to 100). Whereas Raimi has inexplicably managed to inch his way up into positive digits despite having made about one halfway watchable movie in his 30-year-plus career, which leads to a disproportionate sense of disappointment and resistance against the media machine that decided to validate what to any thinking person's eyes is the equivalent to another english-language Grudge sequel.

Another way of saying it would be: he bought the hype and it turned out to be about as valuable as GM stock. Now he mad!!!

You would be too if it happened to you.

comment #15

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

As usual, vice speaketh the truth.

If you're a film buff and know a lot about movies (which would include most of us on this site, I would think), watching one can really ultimately come down to a bit of a game of expectations.

Especially after you've seen so many by a certain director, in a certain genre, released during a certain era. Any critic worth his salt is going to have to admit that they take these things into account -- consciously or not -- as measuring sticks.

I enjoyed myself at DMTH. Would I consider it overrated (it's currently sitting at 94% at rottentomatoes)? Abso-fucking-lutely.

I'm trying to think of a comparable situation in the horror genre where after several years, an older horror auteur finally had a decent return to form, and as a result it was wildly overpraised.

I'm thinking Scream.

comment #16

Chase Kahn says ...

"I don't understand the ecstatic notices".

I haven't seen "Drag Me to Hell" yet, but I felt the same way about "Up".

comment #17

Terry McCarty says ...

I would agree with those who think DMTH is somewhat overrated. It pretty much fires all the rounds from its cap pistol within the first 45 minutes and meanders when it should be escalating in outrageousness. But the train station finale was well done.

comment #18

JD says ...

Jeff, you're missing the point 200%. Like the Evil Dead movies and Crimewave earlier in Raimi's career, Drag Me to Hell is all about deriving humour from ludicrously over-the-top torment. The unfairness is the satirical point. You want him to make horror movies about a fair world where bad people are punished for doing bad things, but he's making a movie about an exceedingly unfair world where a seemingly normal, squeaky clean can't win no matter what. If she cuts the customer a break, she reasons, she might lose her job. If she doesn't... all kinds of other horrible stuff happens to her. The movie's two steps ahead of your (totally dated, old-fashioned) perspective on horror. In fact, it's actively mocking that kind of thinking.

By the way, quoting Nick Pinkerton is a sign of complete desperation. He may be the worst critic anywhere. I stumbled upon his disastrously wordy, self-admiring review of Last House on the Left a few months ago and I haven't been the same since:

http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-03-11/film/the-last-house-on-the-left-s-exploitation-is-quaintly-nostalgic/

comment #19

JD says ...

By the way Pinkerton, Raimi's from Michigan, not Tennessee.

comment #20

Asokan says ...

I had more fun watching "Star Trek" than watching this, cause funnily enough I cared about Kirk and Spock as fresh, likeable and exciting characters... whereas Christine in "Drag Me to Hell" was just like... meh...

Something I noticed: Did Raimi just take out all the possible gore he could've put into the movie and replaced it with gross-out moments with all kinds of bodily fluids?! Silly bugger!

comment #21

OtownRog says ...

I see three "over-praised" movies referenced here. Might I suggest weaning oneself of the Tomatometer and heading out to Movie Review Query Engine (mrqe.com) or Movie review intelligence (moviereviewintelligence.com)? Both sites aggregate with diff. formulae, hit a wider range of print and online opinions and seem to come closer to the mark in "grading" movies. Up, 88 to Rotten T's 98, Drag me 81 to RT's 94, etc.
God knows RT's 100% for Hangover needs a little reality check. I'm listed on all three, but RT is a lot less reliable an indicator of consensus and quality these days.

comment #22

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

"God knows RT's 100% for Hangover needs a little reality check. I'm listed on all three, but RT is a lot less reliable an indicator of consensus and quality these days."

It's just reflective of the critics being a lot less reliable an indicator of quality these days.

If you're constantly fed junk food, suddenly a greasy hamburger seems like a much "healthier" option than a greasy double cheeseburger with extra bacon.

comment #23

DarthCorleone says ...

What a bunch of the guys above me said: an eternity in hell is not supposed to be a just fate for the character. (Philosophical question: would an eternity an hell - an infinite punishment - be a truly just punishment for any finite transgression? I think not.) The mere fact that she grants mercy to her rival would indicate to me that she is deserving of it as well.

This movie is very silly, and - yeah - it is overrated at the moment, but I still appreciated it for the tongue-in-cheek fun ride that it is. And I did like that Christine was a morally ambiguous character; it made her relatable. Yes, she has failings, but they are reasonable ones that indicate any one of us could be dragged to hell in the wrong circumstances in this movie's universe.

The bit in the third act about transferring the curse was particularly well executed; it was like we got a bonus mini-Twilight Zone episode in the movie.

SPOILERS
I would have thought it hilarious if she tried killing the boyfriend's parents' cat as well (perhaps in a stolen moment in the bathroom) out of desperation to try to salvage the dinner party. I also think a darker final twist could have involved her trying to futilely transfer the curse to the boyfriend at the last moment to save her own soul, thus revealing how desperate even a basically good person could become in the face of an eternity of fire and brimstone.
END SPOILERS

Oh, and Terminator: Salvation sucks.

comment #24

The InSneider says ...

Rotten Tomatoes is exactly that... ROTTEN. MetaCritic is the only way to go. And Wells, thank God you called Raimi on his shit here because if you had given a pass to both this and T4, I might've had to de-bookmark you.

comment #25

Terry McCarty says ...

Stuart Gordon's STUCK, a film not without flaws, is worth seeing before/after DMTH for comparison/contrast perposes.

comment #26

Gordie Lachance says ...

So far there are only 2 reviews up for the Hangover at MetaCritic, from Hollywood Reporter and Variety, both of whom scored it much much higher than Wedding Crashers, I Love You Man, Step Brothers, or anything else from the current Apatow-derived comedy renaissance we are in the middle of.

So go ahead and say that critics aren't reliable, or that so and so's website has a better review averaging system, or people have no taste, or people just like seeing the same thing over and over (can anyone name a film made in the last 20 years that contained something we HAVEN'T seen before? How is that even criticism?)

Eventually, you haters are going to have to admit that maybe it's just a good movie.

comment #27

Renfield says ...

The tone of the film can be summed up with one non-spoiler bit of information.

There is a bit where a cartoonish, old gypsy woman tries to "gum" the lead character to death.

That says it all and that's why I loved it.

comment #28

dkaye says ...

I'm no great fan of the current Apatow-influenced comedy renaissance, as someone put it above, but THE HANGOVER is better than most. It's got a great premise, a lot of good bits, and the (slight spoiler) photo montage finish is a gem. I was entertained and laughing throughout most of its relatively quick running time, and the male leads were all quite good.

But thinking about it some more, it's got a lot of the same characteristics that I dislike about many of these current comedies: the usual "guys will be guys" theme, a lack of any good female roles, at least one character written so stereotypically that it's borderline racist/homophobic, and the random cameo by a washed-up semi-celebrity (in this case Mike Tyson, no disrespect to his current and awful tragedy). The formula is there, but for some reason the movie goes down easier this time.

comment #29

Noah Redfield says ...

While I don't think Drag Me To Hell is an amazing film by any means, I still had a blast watching it. Almost as much fun as I had watching Star Trek. It grossed me out, it made me jump out of my seat quite a bit, and it left me with an ear-to-ear grin on my face when the lights came up in the cinema. That's all I really wanted. It's no Evil Dead but it's no Spider-Man 3. And it's a fuck sight more entertaining than the uninspired borefest that was Terminator: Salvation.

comment #30

arturobandini2 says ...

Rich S. is the coolest guy in this room. He's the only one who's spotted that DMTH is a thinly veiled remake of Jacques Tourneur's beloved B-chiller Night of the Demon (a/k/a Curse of the Demon, itself based on Montague James' "Casting the Runes"). I just glanced through all the top reviews on Meta-Critic ... lots of references to Thinner, but not a single mention of Demon. Just shameful.

comment #31

Rich S. says ...

Thanks, arturo. And the final scene is at a railway station. If that didn't give it away, nothing would.

comment #32

arturobandini2 says ...

Not to mention the seance, the 3-day Doomsday clock, a physical symbol representing the curse that can be fobbed off, and ... oh yeah ... an unstoppable demon from hell. Jeez, is a 1957 movie in the public domain already? I hope the Raimi brothers are acknowledging their inspiration in the press, if not in the credits. Otherwise it would be as ludicrous as Quentin Tarantino claiming Kill Bill wasn't inspired by Truffaut's The Bride Wore Black.

SPOILER (SORT OF)

Rich, I'm betting you've also seen the notorious TV movie from 1973 that traumatized a generation of 9-year-olds (me included) called Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. The final scene of Drag Me to Hell actually reminded me more of that freaky movie-of-the-week than the "morally justified" ending of Curse of the Demon.

comment #33

CarloDennis says ...

Arturo, in case you don't know, Guillermo Del Toro is actually producing a big screen Don't Be Afraid of the Dark remake. Katie Holmes is starring...

comment #34

arturobandini2 says ...

Carlo, I heard some kind of rumor about Del Toro making the protagonist a child. Which, if that's the case, ruins the whole premise. The ratcheting of terror depends on an adult being reduced to a helpless infant as her fear of the dark becomes legitimate.

It's sorta funny ... credited remakes all too often change the winning element of the original's plot -- while uncredited remakes like DMTH are almost slavish in their mimicry ... right down to a finale on the train tracks while a train approacheth.

OTOH Katie Holmes, limited though she is, could be an inspired modern-day twist on mousey Kim Darby. I just hope Del Toro keeps the character of 'Francisco Perezh,' obnoxious interior decorator. In fact, he should play it himself.

comment #35

Rich S. says ...

Funny you should say 9 year olds, because I don't think I've seen Don't Be Afraid of the Dark since then. Too traumatic. Those creepy little bastards that lived under the stairs or in the furnace or whatever really freaked me out.

Was there anything more damaging to children of the 70s than the ABC Movie of the Week? Seriously. In addition to DBAotD, there was also The Devil's Triangle, with its last scene of the dead Doug McClure coming back to life to victimize another boat, both of the Night Stalker movies and the champ of champs, Trilogy of Terror and the Zuni Fetish Doll.

I know there are probably lots more. After all, the mid-70s was when everyone was trying to capitalize on the Exorcist and the Omen. But those are the ones I most remember. I think the only safe movie they ever showed that whole period was the Six Million Dollar Man pilot.

comment #36

xtmxady says ...

hmm, thanks for share it now, i like it. nowgoogle.com adalah multiple search engine popular and Newoes | SOE | Spiritku | Internet Technology

comment #37

tinnitus cure says ...

With your capacity, certainly you might have seen praises before but I just need to add on to the many who have thanked you for what you have attained. Your articles are 1 of a kind and show great ideas. Thanks for your pieces!

comment #38

gafi says ...

Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability systems