Drag Me to Hell is a near perfect horror movie. Now, when I say 'near perfect', I don't mean it can be compared alongside the classics, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, or even Raimi's own Evil Dead series; however, for the summer season of the year 2009, Drag Me to Hell is nearly perfect. With the cinematic horror climate as it is, we are being bombarded with remake after remake (My Bloody Valentine 3D, Friday the 13th and countless others), and really the only quality horror is coming from the independents, or overseas (“Isolation”, “Martyrs”).

It is in this tepid cinematic climate that we welcome Sam Raimi back to the genre that put him on the map. What is truly strange to me is that Sam Raimi's name is synonymous with horror, yet he hasn't contributed as a director, to the genre since 1987's Evil Dead II (Army of Darkness is too firmly grounded in comedy to be considered a true horror film). In fact his only real contributions to the horror genre are, in fact, the Evil Dead films, and their preceding shorts.

So why is it that when one thinks of Sam Raimi, one imagines a horror director? Quite simply, it's the genre he does best. Don't get me wrong, the first two Spider-Man films were fantastic, and I can't picture anyone else doing a better job, but the Evil Dead movies, come on... That's horror at its finest. Sam Raimi creates such an energetic environment for his audience through his use of inventive angles and a camera that is almost always moving. What's more surprising is how well he handles the genre-mixing of horror and comedy in Evil Dead II. The result: one of the most fun horror movies ever created.

Now, here we are in 2009, in desperate need of an original, and hopefully good, horror film. Don't let us down, Sam. But really, was there ever any doubt? Drag Me to Hell is as good a studio horror film as anything in possibly the last ten years, and it's only fitting that the praise lands firmly on Raimi's shoulders. This is a Sam Raimi movie, through and through.

What makes Drag Me to Hell so invigorating? The film is most certainly scary, as the theatre I viewed it in was constantly screaming, then shaking off the effect of the shocks with some nervous giggling afterward. That's not it, however. Raimi's sense of humour is most certainly intact, as he matches the shocks with an equal amount of repulsive humour. There are some over-the-top visuals that will have you laughing in disgust – very Evil Dead II. That's not it either. Perhaps it's simply the fact that his fans realize that even with the success of the Spider-Man films, he's never forgotten that it is the horror genre that got him started, and his appreciation for the genre is obvious from the opening sequence. So, what is it that makes this film so fantastic?

Everything I've mentioned above is certainly valid, but the true reason Drag Me to Hell is so satisfying a horror film, is that Raimi truly understands his craft, and combines all the appropriate elements to make something that is truly scary, funny, and just a great time at the movies. His grasp of the medium of film has never been more apparent than in the parking garage sequence, near the beginning of Drag Me to Hell. The sequence begins with Raimi's ever-moving camera generating an ample amount of suspense, before the superior sound design makes the viewer aware of the situation. Shortly thereafter the camera oh-so-subtly reveals... Well, I could go on all night about this scene alone, but as with all great films, it's something that truly needs to be experienced. Trust me, though, when I tell you that technically, Drag Me to Hell is a fantastic accomplishment in the horror genre.

As I've just made it clear, I'm not going to reveal anything about the plot, or any particular scene in Drag Me to Hell, so what the hell am I still writing for? Because I still have something to say. It's obvious I loved the film, and any self-respecting horror fan will most likely feel the same way, as it provides scares, laughs, and just a great time overall. My closing statements are for those, who are still uncertain, or perhaps turned off by the fact that the film holds a PG-13 rating (something I personally abhor). There is no need to worry, while the film is not as violent or gory as we may be used to, you must realize that it doesn't have to be. There are some suitable grotesqueries on display, but the strength of the film is not in what is displayed on screen, but in the way it is displayed. Drag Me to Hell is a horror film of technical perfection, and Raimi shows that even after twenty years of absence from the genre, he's still a better horror director than nearly anyone working in the industry today.

Drag Me to Hell must be seen by any fan of horror cinema, and you just have to love those opening and closing title cards…