Sam Raimi -- that delectably disturbed filmmaker who began his career in the 80s with the Evil Dead trilogy, and most recently finished up a trio of Spider-Man films -- returns to the genre that made him famous with Drag Me To Hell. Despite its dark and trashy title (an apt homage to similar B-fare from the 60s and 70s), this film is such a funhouse roller coaster ride, there should be a sign at the ticket counter that says You Must Be This Tall To Ride This Ride. Only Sam Raimi could make a film this dark and light at the same time, and have the thing mesh so clockwork perfect.

Starring sweet and petite Alison Lohman (Matchstick Men, Big Fish) as Christine Brown, a loan officer competing for a promotion with a sycophantic, misogynistic coworker, the film sets up its Gypsy-curse plot when Christine denies an old, dentally-challenged, cycloptically-afflicted woman her third mortgage extension. Christine does this for ultimately selfish (though understandable) reasons, and the rest of the story plays out like a morality fable about the choices we make. Christine's boyfriend (Justin Long) is about to propose marriage, but his affluent family would rather he chose someone less bourgeois -- this also colors Christine's decision. When the old Gypsy woman, Mrs. Ganush (a suitably creepy Lorna Raver) later meets Christine in the bank's parking garage (the first of many waaaaay over-the-top set pieces), she puts a curse on the girl, wherein she will be tormented by demons for three days before the final (and titular) coup de grace. Unless, that is, Christine can figure out a way to break the curse and be spared eternal damnation.

To reveal more would be criminal, save to say that Raimi (after two brilliant Spider-Man films, and a bloated third one) is having more fun than he has in a long time. Relying very little on CGI, this is a filmmaker working at the top of his game, but using new polish on old tricks. This film is more like the gothic scare-fare of the fifties and sixties than the slasher pics of the eighties or the torture porn of the aughties. More like Robert Wise's brilliant 1963 version of The Haunting than its horrible, effects-heavy 1999 remake. Good, old-fashioned photography, editing, and sound design do the most heavy lifting for the scary portions of this film -- and what a refreshing change to see such reliance on practical effects after so many years of digital vacuousness.

Sam Raimi has always mixed equal parts horror and humor (those familiar with 1992's Army of Darkness -- aka Evil Dead 3 -- know exactly what I'm talking about) and this film is no different. I don't think there is another filmmaker who has been so adept at this strange mix (John Landis' An American Werewolf in London comes close). I'd say the laugh to scream quotient in this film is damn near even. While there is little to no blood (or profanity for that matter -- this is, after all, rated PG13), that doesn't mean this film lacks for lubricous doses of other bodily fluids -- Raimi goes for gross-out moments with even more enthusiasm and aplomb than he did in his younger days.

While Sam Raimi is busy prepping Spider-Man 4 (he has openly admitted his major mistakes on 3), he has also hinted at another installment of the Evil Dead franchise. Whether or not he and his alter-ego Bruce Campbell ever get around to doing this, only time will tell. We can hope. But I could not imagine a better consolation prize than this hellishly hip, frighteningly funny movie. Simply put, Drag Me To Hell is the most fun, scary, and entertaining horror film in years.

GRADE: A-