Spoilers for “Send Help” ahead.
“Send Help,” a horror film directed by renowned filmmaker Sam Raimi, was released in U.S. theaters on Friday, Jan. 30. The film had a slow but sure rise, becoming the No. 1 movie in the U.S. by Feb. 28. Raimi, known for his works “The Evil Dead,” “Spider-Man” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” said the film was “a lot of old Hollywood traditions just jammed together in a new mash-up.” And, in a way, “Send Help” does just that, combining expert camerawork, transitions, acting and music into a blockbuster film that’s sure to go down as one of Raimi’s most notable works.
The film opens as if it were an office drama, with Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) being a stressed new hire who is constantly ridiculed by coworkers, and her arrogant boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) adding fuel to the fire by mocking her tuna sandwich and awkward personality. On a private jet to the company’s Thailand office, Liddle overhears Preston and a few nepo-hires laughing at her “Survivor” audition tape. However, the jet’s engine malfunctions, and the plane plunges into the sea, washing Liddle and Preston ashore on a remote island as the only survivors. From there, the film does a complete 180, taking a gory turn as the power scale flips between Liddle and Preston as Liddle dominates with her “Survivor” knowledge and Preston attempts — and fails — to assert his corporate power in hopes of escaping the island.
One of “Send Help’s” standout features is how impactful and volatile its actors are in their roles. While the premise of the movie itself leans more into dark comedy, McAdams is able to expertly sell Liddle as a psychotic wildlife maniac — when she sees Preston’s fiance Zuri (Edyll Ismail) and the fishing boat captain approaching the island, Liddle becomes extremely anxious, using strong facial expressions and an apprehensive vocal tone to convey her fear of having to leave her island sanctuary to return to corporate life. O’Brien’s facial expressions and attitude also help him seamlessly play Preston, a snobbish, egotistical finance bro — his shocked expression when Liddle drops the boar’s bloodied head in front of him is priceless.
The music, scored by Danny Elfman, makes noticeable differences in each scene — sardonic during humorous scenes and chilling during ones of violence and action. This is especially effective when Preston finds his fiance Zuri’s hand in the sand and it dawns on him that Liddle killed her. With ominous violin, electrical and dark instrumentals, the film’s score adds to each scene’s suspense. Notably, Liddle and Preston’s brutal fight in the climax is elevated by the film’s dynamic and creative sound design and camerawork transitions.
Although the film has likable characters and magnetic performances, the simplicity of its plot results in some predictability and cheap jumpscares. While producers clearly mean to keep “Send Help” a digestible film through its simple premise and chronological storytelling, watching violence without substance waters down the immersion. In particular, the rotten corpse that suddenly appears behind Liddle in a nightmare held no relevance, and instead felt like a lazy distraction from Liddle’s guilt of killing Zuri, which could have been further explored to strengthen her characterization.
The film also has many plot holes that arise throughout its 104-minute runtime that dilute “Send Help’s” impact. For example, the deaths of Zuri and the fishing boat driver are never questioned after Liddle is rescued, even though her search for Liddle and Preston was known and her body was never properly hidden. Furthermore, one of Preston’s biggest character traits is his hatred for Liddle — despising her for her clumsy nature in the office and for her dominance in remote island survival — but doesn’t think about killing her on her “sick day” (after she killed Zuri), even when he is in possession of the camp’s knife.
Despite the plot holes, “Send Help’s” focus on foreshadowing as a key plot point stands out. When watching “Survivor” after a long day at work, Liddle holds an entire conversation with her pet parrot as if it’s another person in her home, which hints at her psychotic tendencies. When leading Preston up on the narrow ridge to the top of the cliff, Liddle shows him how to categorize poisonous berries, foreshadowing how Preston eventually poisons her with seafood. These moments allow “Send Help” to come full circle, and make the film more satisfying to watch.
Although the film has been marketed as a comedy horror, it plays more like a survival thriller — with some outlets even classifying it a psychological thriller. However, while the plot and visuals themselves aren’t the most excruciating, the acting, particularly from McAdams and Ismail, will still undoubtedly keep some people awake at night. Ultimately, “Send Help” is a well-produced take on the classic survival-on-an-island trope. The allure yet fear audiences feel toward Liddle and resentment yet pity toward Preston show just how well McAdams and O’Brien carried the film.
RATING: 3.5/5
