The fruit of this return is “Drag Me to Hell,” a devilishly clever and darkly humorous film that has recently made its way to HBO Max. At its core is Alison Lohman’s portrayal of Christine Brown, a Los Angeles bank loan officer poised for success. She enjoys a stable life with her own home and a supportive boyfriend, Clay, played by Justin Long. Her career prospects are bright as she anticipates an assistant manager promotion.

Christine’s ascent is impeded by Sylvia Ganush, portrayed by Lorna Raver, an elderly Romani woman seeking another mortgage extension. To demonstrate her toughness to her boss, played by David Paymer, Christine denies the extension, inadvertently inviting a sinister curse upon herself. This sets off a hilariously horrifying chain of supernatural events that Christine won’t soon forget.

Raimi marks his return to horror with a striking opening scene of a child being dragged into hell’s fiery depths, a testament to his undiminished flair for horror. This scene captures the mischievous spirit Raimi and his producing partner Robert Tapert have been known for since the release of “The Evil Dead” in 1981. “Drag Me to Hell” resembles an extended version of a “Tales from the Crypt” episode, featuring an engaging storyline, grotesque elements, and a twist ending.

Sam Raimi making his triumphant return to horror with an opening scene of a child being pulled into the fiery depths of hell is a great way to show that he hadn’t missed a step. It fits the mean-spirited playfulness that Raimi and his producer buddy Robert Tapert have excelled at since 1981’s “The Evil Dead.” In many ways, “Drag Me to Hell” moves like a feature-length version of a “Tales from the Crypt” episode, complete with a captivating story hook, a whole lot of nastiness, and an ironic ending. 

The film has become an even bigger hit over the years since its initial release, with some X (formerly Twitter users having a laugh at the hilarious shot of Christine holding a massive prop fork. Raimi always knows how to play up the camp factor, but perhaps what’s most surprising about “Drag Me to Hell” is that it’s one of the most violent and mean-spirited PG-13 horror movies ever made. 

VFX artists Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger not only bring the blood, but a whole assortment of gross fluids to fling in Alison Lohman’s face. Raimi gets away with way more than you would expect under the MPA’s superfluous guidelines. The screenplay by Raimi and his brother Ivan seamlessly blends comedy and horror in a manner where they compliment each other, with the Raimis still finding time during a crucial seance scene for some “Evil Dead”-style shenanigans. The image of the demon possessing a goat to speak still makes horror fans laugh every time.

Sam Raimi has spent a good chunk of his career torturing Bruce Campbell for our entertainment. In “Drag Me to Hell,” however, Alison Lohman is the Raimi muse getting put through the wringer this time. He’s always great at casting interesting people, and Lohan more than proves she’s up to the task by performing most of the stunts herself. One of her most underrated moments is when Clay reminds Christine that she has a cat, and she gives this slow, half-hearted smirk that’s holding back a terrible laugh given what she did to appease the evil spirit.

Beneath Lohman’s doe-eyed innocence lies a strong resilience that keeps Christine going after every encounter with supernatural phenomena. You can practically see Raimi cackling like a madman every time he’s about to inundate her with a hose full of bugs, blood or bile. Even beyond all of the gross stuff, Lohman makes a compelling horror protagonist because of the emotional tenacity she brings to the character.

“Drag Me to Hell” hinges on the moralistic bent of the universe in which bad behavior is reckoned with, even if the crime doesn’t suit the punishment. No one forces Christine to deny Mrs. Ganush’s extension, but she does so for her own benefit, and it’s all the more impactful since this film came out during the Great Recession of the late 2000s. Even good people can do bad things, and Christine suffers for it all the way to the iconic ending.