Writer/Director/Producer Sam Raimi, who is best known for his work on the Spiderman films but also did fright flicks Evil Dead, Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, goes back to his horrific roots for Drag Me to Hell. Because of those chops in this field, he’s managed to assemble quite the cast, including Alison Lohman, Justin Long and David Paymer. They are not wasted in this soon-to-be classic comedy/horror flick, whose title is just tongue-in-cheek enough to be cheesily delightful and fulfilling to fans of the genre.

Admittedly, I am not one of those fans, but those who are will be sufficiently satisfied with this tale of gypsy curses, demons and bank loan officers. It’s up to you to decide which is scariest. Lohman plays the latter, Christine, and when she denies Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver), a creepy, decrepit senior citizen, an extension on her loan that threatens to put the senior citizen out on the streets, all hell breaks loose. Ganush is no harmless little old lady but a grotesque gypsy who attacks with dentures, claws and curses. Long plays the sensitive, supportive boyfriend who attempts to help Christine fight the curse, which will send Christine to Hades unless she can right everything in a mere three days. They enlist the help of Psychic Advisor Jas (Dileep Rao), in not only combating the curse, but thwarting the pesky Iamia, a goatish creature who has emerged from Hell to torture and torment Christine until she descends.

The film is a fast paced series of surprise, scare, scream, squirm and snicker for its entire 90 minutes. It’s not exactly something you’ll want to see with you mother or your children, but it will undoubtedly become a slumber party/fright night classic the second it hits DVD.

Rated PG-13

—Lisa Johnson Mandell