“Send Help” lands as a unique dark comedy
If you are a fan of “Mean Girls” or “The Maze Runner” trilogy, as I am, you may be interested in checking out Sam Raimi’s latest movie, “Send Help.” The film follows Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle, also known as “Linda from Accounting,” and Dylan O’Brien as Bradley Preston, Linda’s boss, as they are left stranded on a remote island when their plane crashes en route to Bangkok. In my opinion, the best way to describe this movie is “Lord of the Flies,” except with two contentious colleagues rather than a plane full of children. The film explores the relationship between McAdams and O’Brien, and touches on both corporate workplace dynamics and larger themes of power and misogyny in a memorable manner. In doing so, Raimi allows the audience to better wrestle with the themes he addresses.
Raimi, who is best known for the “Spider-Man” and “Evil Dead” trilogies, perfectly utilizes his iconic high-energy camera work along with comedic and horror elements to design the film. Between moments of gasps or laughs, the audience is left to ponder the moral implications of both O’Brien and McAdams’s actions through the movie’s progression. As time goes on, the plot becomes increasingly outrageous and scenes grow more gory and whimsical. While I usually am one to dislike plot twists of this nature, in this case, Raimi wonderfully executes the campiness needed to breathe life into a story that has been retold so many times.
Beyond the directing of Raimi, both O’Brien and McAdams shine in their roles. McAdams gives a stellar performance while showcasing a wide range of emotions, perfectly capturing Linda’s oddball energy and erraticism as she descends into madness. McAdams makes Linda a three-dimensional character that the audience can both sympathize with and fear—a feat that is hard to convincingly accomplish. O’Brien also gives a performance that matches McAdams. He encapsulates the arrogance of Bradley’s character while also infusing wit and the most hilarious lines of the movie. Throughout, Raimi subverts the audience in who they sympathize with, creating layers to each character that are brought to life by O’Brien and McAdams.
Of course, no movie is perfect. But what I most enjoyed about “Send Help” is that it doesn’t try to chase perfection. Rather, the movie stays authentic to itself and doubles down on what makes it unique: violent visuals paired with comedic relief, unconventional camera shots and exciting yet cheesy plot twists. Throughout the film, audiences can witness its authenticity and consistency in both plot and visuals. While some elements could have benefited from better CGI graphics, I think this adds to the audacious nature of what is being portrayed. The tacky special effects convey each scene’s message much more cohesively than hyper-realistic gore would. However, I must heed warning to serious movie-goers that this film may not meet expectations from the standpoint of movie connoisseurs. But what this movie lacks in technicality is made up for by its pleasurable viewing experience.
“Send Help” is a gem of a movie, packed with action, jumpscares, comedy and amazing acting performances. The movie does not take itself too seriously and revels in its own whimsy. I implore all potential viewers to approach the film the same way: expect to see something as outrageous as it is enjoyable and prepare for—hopefully—a good time.
