Sam Raimi’s ‘Send Help’ Review: A Blood-Soaked Office Retreat from Hell That’s a Perfect Popcorn Ride
- Je-Ree
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever sat in a sterile, fluorescent-lit conference room wishing a natural disaster would strike just so you could skip the Q3 projections, Sam Raimi’s latest flick, Send Help, is your dark, twisted fantasy brought to life. After a hiatus from the genre that felt longer than a Zoom meeting that should have been an email, the maestro of "splat-stick" returns with a survival thriller that proves the only thing more dangerous than a deserted island is your coworker’s ego.
I went into the screening not entirely sure what to expect, other than the usual Raimi flair for the dramatic. While the trailers promised a standard survivalist thriller with maybe a few jump scares to keep you from checking your phone, the reality is far more unhinged. Send Help is a fantastic popcorn ride that manages to be as hilarious as it is horrifying.
The Corporate Ladder Meets the Food Chain
The premise is deceptively simple: Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a hard-working, chronically overlooked employee stuck on a private jet with her "nepo baby" boss, Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien). When the plane goes down, they trade the boardroom for a beach, and the workplace power dynamics get thrown into a woodchipper.
What truly catches you off guard is the humor. Raimi infuses the script with a biting, snarky wit that lampoons corporate culture while the characters are literally fighting for their lives. There are plenty more than a few jump scares, some of which will genuinely make you lose your grip on your overpriced theater snacks and the gore is classic Raimi: messy, over-the-top, and unapologetically bold.
A Masterclass in Acting (And Losing Your Mind)
The heartbeat of the film is the electric chemistry between McAdams and O’Brien. It’s a rare treat to see two actors so perfectly matched. In the more dramatic scenes, you lose yourself in their performances, completely forgetting that the entire movie is essentially a two-person stage play set on a pile of sand.
Dylan O’Brien plays the entitled Bradley with just enough charm to make you hate him, but Rachel McAdams is the undisputed MVP here. She takes the audience on a calculated, terrifying journey as we watch Linda slowly and then very quickly go crazy. As she sheds her "disgruntled employee" persona for something far more primal, McAdams proves once again why she is one of the best in the business. The two are so in sync that at times you forget they are characters who despise each other.
Minor Turbulent Weather
No film is without its baggage. Send Help does suffer from a bit of mid-movie fatigue where the pacing slows down as the characters grapple with the logistics of island life. Additionally, if you’re looking for Avatar-level visual effects, you might be disappointed. The CGI could have clearly used a few extra dollars in the budget, some of the environments look a bit more "green screen" than "Galapagos."
However, these are minor gripes when compared to the absolute blast of a time you’ll have watching the carnage unfold.
The Twist You Won't See Coming
Just when you think you have the survival tropes figured out, the film throws a massive curveball. There is a big twist in the third act that pays off beautifully, leading to an ending that will leave your mouth wide open as the credits roll. It is the kind of finale that demands an immediate post-movie debrief in the lobby.
Horror fans and jaded office workers alike will absolutely eat this movie up. It’s mean, it’s funny, and it’s a reminder that Sam Raimi is at his best when he’s making us scream and laugh at the same time.
The TV Cave Verdict: ★★★★☆
Send Help hits theaters everywhere on January 30. If you want to see what happens when the glass ceiling is replaced by a canopy of jungle vines and a side of madness, grab your tickets now. Just maybe don't go with your boss.
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