Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2009

©2009 Curse Productions LLC.All Rights Reserved

Inventive director Sam Raimi, after getting all psycho-serious with A Simple Plan and honing his blockbuster skills with the Spiderman franchise (two out of three ain’t bad), returns to his visceral Evil Dead roots with this spot-on, perfectly executed and even joyous horror flick that will have you jumping out of your seat and laughing hilariously (if a tad nervously) at the same time. A young bank loan officer (accomplished screamer Alison Lohman), hoping to impress her boss with her decision-making skills, “shames” a one-eyed gypsy woman (the aptly named Lorna Raver) by denying her a mortgage extension. Not smart. The wacky old crone levels a curse on her, which in three days will result in the title function unless she can lift it (look out, kittens). This is more than a little scary, but without a trace of the sadism or mean-spiritedness that makers of crap like the Saw movies seem to deem necessary. It’s goofy and gooey (heroine at one point is in danger of being fatally gummed), and the comic timing is impeccable. Raimi clearly had fun making this; you’ll have fun watching.