“Send Help” sees director Sam Raimi making his triumphant return to horror. Having previously directed horror classics like “The Evil Dead” and “Army of Darkness” as well as the original Spider-Man trilogy, his unique style and visual flair was well-suited for this script. The film follows Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams), a hard-working, though cringy, employee at a large investment company, and her arrogant boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) after the pair wash up on an island as the only survivors of a plane crash.
The film takes its time to really lean into the horror elements, and instead focuses on how the virtually opposite characters survive together. Liddle, a hardworking homebody, has spent years training to be a contestant on “Survivor.” Preston, on the other hand, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and must learn to provide and trust the knowledge of the coworker he hates. The last act embraces the genre with some scares and a defined tonal shift.
McAdams captures the complex and disturbed nature of Liddle in a way that feels true to life. She’s funny, charming and accurately captures the “embarrassing coworker.” O’Brien plays a nepo baby with a penitent for misogyny, and manages to gradually drop his arrogant veil over the course of the film. At times, he almost feels like two different characters, something that is rather realistic for anyone familiar with the type of person O’Brien portrays.
Raimi enlisted longtime collaborator Bill Pope as cinematographer for “Send Help.” The duo pulls off some interesting shots, but the overall visual quality of the film leaves much to be desired. The picture is too gray and lacks the color needed to bring the island to life. A good number of the shots insist on using a shallow focus, which throws the background out of focus. While this isn’t a problem for the office scenes, keeping the island out of focus makes their desertion feel like less of a threat than it is. The problem of realism is further exacerbated by shoddy CGI used to create portions of the island and wildlife, which often look unconvincing.
Ultimately, “Send Help” is just plain fun. It’s well-directed, excellently acted, genuinely funny at times and quickly captivating. While it’s a slow burn, the eventual payoff to horror is well-earned. “Send Help” is worth a watch.
