Send Help. Sam Raimi’s horror thriller is the most Sam Raimi movie yet.
by Brandon Norwood
Sam Raimi redefined horror with his The Evil Dead and its sequels, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness. The last time Sam was let loose was Drag Me to Hell. Since then he has made an Oz prequel and the Doctor Strange sequel Multiverse of Madness. The latter I absolutely despise which is not the fault of Sam, but rather its very troubled production and script (or lack thereof). Send Help is not only a return to form, but may be the most Sam Raimi movie thus far.
Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a long-suffering, homely employee who tries to fit in and works hard to get the promotion of vice president she was promised. When the CEO passes and his son Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien) takes over he gives her promotion away to a frat buddy and bullies her. Making her "prove herself", she comes along on a business trip that no one wants her on. However, their private jet crashes leaving them stranded on a deserted jungle island where the dynamics have shifted causing a fight for survival.
Image courtesy of Disney.
This is what I wish we got more of. A notable director finding a solid script and elevating it to fit their personality making it entirely their own. This is the most Sam Raimi film ever made. His trademark slapstick horror and camera work are on display. But this is the first Sam Raimi film to be mean. And I mean that in a positive way as that meanness is part of the story being told.
Make no mistake, this movie is disgusting. Sam always has gross things in all his films, but this is next level stomach churning. When the tuna salad came into play early on, I knew it was gonna get worse from there. The boar hunt has lots of snot and there's vomit in this where I know it's gonna have the audience laughing and disgusted in 3D. In fact, there's a sick gag with teeth that I absolutely cannot wait to see in 3D.
Image courtesy of Disney.
God bless Rachel McAdams. She gives another great performance as Linda Liddle. Even when Linda's nasty side starts to emerge, you still root for her as she is put through the ringer before they make it to the island. Linda is gonna be remembered as one of her signature roles. She gives her so much empathy and humanity that by the end of the film, everyone clapped. Rare for a press screening.
Dylan O'Brien gives another solid performance as Bradley. He's a great villain and makes an admirable foe for Linda. A true S.O.B., he too has moments of humanity that make him a well-rounded person that could've easily been a one-dimensional scumbag. Watching him face off with Linda is amazing. The dynamite chemistry between Rachel and Dylan elevates this.
Image courtesy of Disney.
2026 has given us now two horror films that transcend the genre. Send Help is as close to a perfect horror thriller you want. The balance of tones here can only come from a filmmaker who is as confident as Raimi. Even Danny Elfman provides a score that is wholly unique, but doesn't feel out of place. If Cast Away had an evil twin, it'd be Send Help. I much prefer Send Help too, and that is no disrespect to Robert Zemeckis.
I hope Sam makes more movies more often. Things like this are a treasure. I am absolutely floored that this is coming from Disney as this is not for the faint of heart. I do recommend seeing this in Dolby like I did, but seriously see this in 3D if you can. There's so much here that's made for the format.
8 slaps from the Hands of Zeus with lighting bolts out of ten.