For a long time it seemed that the answer to the horror drought was to get clever. The genre needed fresh ideas, innovation and inspiration. Asian cinema seemed to dominate. But it seems there is a simpler answer: pure, unbridled glee.

The latest film from Sam Raimi, Drag Me To Hell has nothing original about it. It’s about a pretty girl pursued by a dark force bent on her destruction. What’s more this dark force is an evil demon summoned forth by a gypsy curse. It’s full of loud noises to make you jump, gross-out scenes of slime and gore, shadowy figures and peripheral spirits. What’s more, the characters all follow their archetype, from the aforementioned elderly gypsy to the medium who thinks she can help, from the pretty girlfriend to the skeptical boyfriend, every familiar figure is here.

But the best thing is that none of this is a problem. Why? Because Sam Raimi brings these elements to life in the way they were always meant to be. With a raucous sense of fun that permeates every second of this rollercoaster ride of a film, he makes the population of recognisable characters and plot devices seem like a gang of old friends at a party who, after years of restraint, are ready to go wild.

Part of this vivacity has to be explained by Sam Raimi’s recent experiences. Tied down in the humdrum Spiderman franchise, Drag Me To Hell is his way of cutting loose and doing everything he loves to do in film. He’s given complete freedom with the story (which he wrote with brother, collaborator and practicing Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Ivan Raimi), the visuals and the soundscape (so crucial in this genre) and you can tell that he responds to that freedom like a caged man finally released into an open field on a sunny day.

However, Sam Raimi’s talents in a number of crucial areas must also be acknowledged. His understanding of ‘the scare’ stretches beyond the predictable and annoying loud noises that plague lesser horror films. He knows that once an audience has jumped out of their seat (which they will with Drag Me To Hell) their reaction needs to be followed up immediately to make the most of the moment; and whether it’s with an eye-poppingly terrifying scene like the appearance of a mangled old lady behind the main character, a gut churning sight like a projectile nosebleed, or a belly-laugh inducing scene of hilarity such as an anvil landing on the head of a ghost, Raimi follows up every scare with gusto.

There is so much more that could be said about Drag Me To Hell. The solid performances, the seamless CGI, the disturbingly dark evil spirit with his revelry in his own dastardly deeds and the cunning twists could all be discussed at length. But when there’s a film this fun to be read you shouldn’t be reading at all. You should be running to the nearest cinema as fast as your legs will carry you, and don’t stop for anyone…

Not quite convinced yet? Read what Sam Raimi has to say HERE.