Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots in his latest flick, Send Help, demonstrating his expertise in the genre that made him the master of his craft.
The survival-horror thriller isn’t just terrifying; it also showcases Raimi’s talents in horror thanks to his direction and the powerhouse performance from lead Rachel McAdams.
Send Help gives audiences the suspenseful and wildly funny atmosphere that the Evil Dead director is known for. Since his last directorial effort with Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Raimi has gone back to what made him a household name with an original horror film that has the makings of being one of his better pieces of work.
The movie begins with Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle, an employee at a Fortune 500 company who is up for a promotion after dedicating her life to working in the planning and strategy division for seven years. Her work is highly praised by the Vice President, giving her a chance to climb the ladder in her career.
However, things take a drastic turn when the VP dies. The company then goes to his spoiled son, Bradley, played by Dylan O’Brien.
Bradley comes from wealth and uses it to spend time with his boys at the office, whether it’s going to parties or playing golf. Linda tries to get on his good side for the promotion, but ultimately loses it to her coworker, Donovan (Xavier Samuels).
Bradley does offer Linda a chance to prove herself worthy of being in the company by joining him on a business trip on his private jet.
Things take a turn for the worse when the plane encounters turbulence and crash-lands on a deserted island. Linda and Bradley are the sole survivors of that crash. From there, a dynamic struggle takes place as they try to survive on the island and await rescue.
With a film like Send Help, it’s hard to describe it in one genre, as different tones define it. It has a bit of horror, adventure, thriller, and comedy. It is what Raimi excels at when he makes these kinds of movies.
He manages to balance these different tones so well, similar to his other original films like Drag Me to Hell.
McAdams delivers a powerful performance as Linda, who goes from a shy office employee to a survivalist who makes bold choices when confronted with life-threatening situations.
She has a character that audiences can root for. Viewers see her journey and how much she has changed over the course of the film. This may be one of her best roles to date.
Dylan also gives it his best at playing the mean boss to McAdams’ Linda, where he demeans her in the worst way when they are in the office.
The tables are turned when he has to rely on Linda to survive, since he knows nothing about being out in isolation. Dylan and McAdams play off each other so well as they both try to one-up each other to survive.
The cinematography is also beautiful, with the shots of the island where these characters are stuck. There is some blood and gore throughout, which is a staple in most of Raimi’s horror films.
It just fits in with the tone of the movie. The score by Danny Elfman also amplifies the scenes perfectly.
Send Help is a great original film from a master of horror that plays off well with our two leads.
With a deserted island scenario, it helps bring out the true nature of these two characters, and Raimi does a splendid job in showcasing that with sharp dialogue and meaningful moments that are well paid off in the end.
It is a return to form for Raimi and brings out a career-defining performance from McAdams.
Send Help is now playing in theaters.
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Mufsin Mahbub
Mufsin Mahbub is a TV and film fanatic who loves all things superhero, sci-fi, horror, and mystery. Outside of writing, he enjoys traveling, gaming, and watching some anime.