![]() ![]() She's behind on her payments and is about to lose her house. Ganush (Lorna Raver) comes to the bank asking for relief from a mortgage she can't pay. One day, a crone with the improbable name of Mrs. Jacks (David Paymer), delights in playing Christine against her rival and watching the sparks fly. She needs the promotion not only to secure her future but to impress the parents of her boyfriend, Clay (Justin Long), who think she's not good enough for their son. Loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is vying with a co-worker for the vacant position of assistant manager. It feels bloated and overlong and the occasional bursts of laughter don't warrant a 100-minute investment of time. Even if one shifts mindset and looks at Drag Me to Hell as pure satire, its effectiveness is middling. Unfortunately, there are also times when the direction and acting are so ham-fisted that intended scares provoke chortles instead of gasps. ![]() With Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, Raimi demonstrated that he enjoys spiking his blood and gore with satire, wit, and the Three Stooges. The conundrum lies in locating the line of demarcation between intentional and unintentional humor. Although Drag Me to Hell mostly fails as horror, it achieves sporadic success as a comedy. So has Raimi achieved the Holy Grail? Has he made a horror film that chills and thrills yet is mild enough to allow admittance to comers of all ages? Sadly, no.īut wait. That alone has to count for something although, had The Gift been rated PG-13, Katie's assets would have remained concealed. Not only is his Evil Dead trilogy considered a horror milestone, but he's the only director to have gotten Katie Holmes to doff her top. Raimi, despite having become sidetracked by a certain web-slinging superhero in recent years, has legitimate horror credentials. ![]() "It's by Sam Raimi." Perhaps, then, it shouldn't be routinely dismissed as just another tale of demons and ghosts that has been emasculated with the goal of appealing to pimple-faced teenagers who haven't figured out how to sneak into legitimate R-rated features. Oh no, not another PG-13 horror film! "But wait," you say. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |