Oh no she didnt: Lohman and Raver battle in Drag Me To Hell

There are those that conflate the heft of films like Dogville and Dancer in the Dark with artistic merit. And under this same logic, there are those that will undoubtedly dismiss Drag Me To Hell for its camp and crassitude. But in terms of cinematic storytelling, these films are ultimately cut from the same cloth. Both Raimi and von Trier are concerned with the power of cinema to elicit an emotive, sensual response from an audience. And in both cases, the directors craft narratives that serve this purpose. The main difference between the two is that Lars von Trier’s deep mistrust of humanity, as embedded in his stories, is transferred to the audience. We are not to be trusted to make our own conclusions, or even to disagree. Dogville is essentially a three-hour sledgehammer of nihilism, designed to implicate Americans, and humanity as a whole, for merely existing. Raimi on the other hand, believes in the power of choice and responsibility. While Drag Me To Hell has a clearly stated moral compass, the ramifications and punitive nature of this morality is left for us to barter with. We can reckon with its timely narrative in whichever way we choose.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you believe cinema and stories are capable of. Narrative filmmaking is such a powerful medium because of its ability to position sensual stimulation (the craft) and emotional engagement (the story) in constant negotiation. Unfortunately, Lars von Trier’s (de)moralizing worldview is so profoundly dominating, that the craft and the story capitulate under its weight. Sam Raimi takes no strain to communicate his slightly Kafkaesque/Sartresque worldview but rather allows us to take it in or not. It is neither subtextualized, nor aggrandized. It is our choice.