Drag Me to Hell
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The Story
When bank loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) rejects an old, gypsy woman’s pitiful, weeping request for an extension on her home loan, the woman (Lorna Raver) takes her revenge by placing a powerful, demonic curse on Christine, dooming her to hell.
The manifestations of that curse include gruesome, disturbing attacks by the old woman, what may be her ghost, and a powerful demon. Unable to escape the curse or initially to convince her boyfriend (Justin Long) that it is real, Christine seeks help from a medium who guides her in a seance and sacrifice in an attempt to appease the demon.
As Christine runs out of options, she must decide who she is willing to hurt and what she is willing to attempt to escape the consequences for her wrong choices.
Content Issues
Although this horror film is rated PG-13, our reviewer at PlanetWisdom.com doesn’t believe it should be seen by anyone under 16. In additions to uses of God’s name for swearing and other harsh language, the film intends to gross viewers out and succeeds with highly disturbing imagery. Demonic forces and spirits violently attack people both externally and by possessing them, leading to violence that is pervasive, genuinely scary and, yes, really really gross.
Worldview Talking Points
Obviously, we’re not recommending that kids and teens see “Drag Me to Hell.” However, we’re aware that will make many students want to see it all the more strongly. Adding to the excitement of their friends, “Drag” is one of the best-reviewed horror movies by secular critics in a long, long time.
Director Sam Raimi is best known for helming all 3 of the popular “Spider-Man” films, but he got his start with horror movies like “Evil Dead.” Secular critics are hailing the film’s effective scares, technical achievements, sense of humor, and all-around storytelling.
But it’s still a movie about a demonic curse, demon possession, sin, repentance, and hell. Those are big theological issues that warrant serious discussion with your child if he or she happens to see the film. Most at stake any time a fear of hell is generated is a clear understanding of the gospel.
Maybe a few of the questions below with help to kick off that conversation. One goal is to evaluate and support your student’s confidence in the effectiveness of God’s grace to save us from hell.
- Did you enjoy “Drag Me to Hell”?
- Does it make sense to be entertained by a story about someone doomed to hell and cursed by a demon if you really believe in an actual hell and real demons? Why or why not?
- Are you a fan of director Sam Raimi and any of his other movies?
- Raimi said this about the movie: “It’s a story about a girl who . . . succumbs to the sin of greed and makes a decision for her own self-interest at the expense of this old woman. It’s a story about how she pays for that choice, and it’s also a story about the digression of a character—how one bad choice leads to another and another and another.”
- Do you believe in a literal hell as the Bible describes it, a place where those who have rejected Christ will spend eternity?
- How do you think a loving God could allow anyone to go to hell? [Parent: See this article by Sean McDowell for help with this question.]
- Why won’t God just welcome everyone into heaven exactly as they are? [Parent: We are all sinners, just like Christine in the movie, and sin is anti-God. God won’t share space with sin. We are doomed to hell on our own.]
- So if we can’t earn our way to heaven, how do any of us avoid going to hell? [Parent: Romans 5:9-11 is one helpful passage to emphasize. We can reinforce that a blood sacrifice is needed to pay for sin—and Christine tried to do in the movie with a cat—but that sacrifice is too weak. (See Hebrews 10:4.) The only sacrifice that can pay the price was the sacrifice of a sinless human being to take the burden from us; that was Jesus. But include the idea that we need to respond by placing our trust in Jesus’ sacrifice in our place to justify us before God and save us from our sin. See Romans 10:9-11.]
- Do you ever feel afraid you might go to hell? Why or why not? [Parent: Another good comfort verse if you are convinced that your child is a believer is Romans 8:1-2.]
- Do you believe demons are real and active in the world today? Do you think they can really do the things shown in the movie?
- What does the Bible teach that demons can and cannot do?
- How can we as Christians be protected against Satan and demons? [Parent: Great passages to share with interested students include 1 Peter 5:8 and Ephesians 6:10-18.]
- Do you think it is God’s will for you to live with fear? Why or why not?
- If movies like this one leave you feeling fearful even after the movie is over, do you think it’s a healthy thing to watch them? Why or why not?
