Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) has worked the same job for many years and is severely undervalued. When her new boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) suddenly takes over the firm for his father, Linda’s hopes of a promotion disappear. Giving her one last chance to prove herself, Bradley invites Linda to go with him and some colleagues on a work trip to Thailand. But then their plan crashes onto a deserted island and they are the only survivors. Now they have to do the unthinkable – rely on each other.
Director Sam Raimi is back in the horror game. While I am not familiar with his past projects in this genre, I do know his ventures in Spider Man and Doctor Strange. From the trailer alone I was curious to see this film because of how they really didn’t give much away at all. It’s obvious that some crazy shit is going to go down throughout the two hour run time, but I had no idea what that would be. As far as I’m concerned, it’s better going into this as blindly as possible
It is not the first time that we’ve seen this formula however the way in which it is depicted is certainly different. Perfectly blending dark humor, suspense and psychological tension, the audience is brought along for a journey where they never really know where they will end up. It builds slowly; the crash itself doesn’t even happen straight away. The impending chaos that will inevitably ensue thereafter is purposefully drawn out to grip you and keep you guessing. There were so many times where I thought I knew how it was all going to play out and then something else happened instead.
This is, hands down, McAdams’ film. Her transformation into Linda is one for the books. Starting off as a socially awkward woman who eats her lunch at her desk and doesn’t care about how she looks, Linda would much rather stay home with her pet bird Sweetie and watching Survivor than deal with the social hierarchies of her office. The way in which McAdams manages to shift between vulnerability, humor and charm to complete madness, and sometimes in the same scene, is something to behold. I am so glad she is back on our screen after three years away. O’Brien also delivered a solid performance. Usually known for playing the hero or somebody more reserved, this was surely a departure from the norm. Here he was full of flaws, arrogance and, quite frankly, a downright douchebag. He sold it though. With their electrifying chemistry, the two were able to perfectly steer the film into the way it needed to go.
What I enjoyed the most was the shift in power dynamics. Linda goes from being meek and unable to stand up for herself to someone who is fearless and thriving in the wilderness. Bradley, on the other hand, becomes whiny and scared. This comes into play as the story develops. The audience is never sure who, if anybody, they should be rooting for.
Send Help delivers thrills, chills and so much more. It may look like a regular survival thriller on the surface, but it really is so much more than that. Thanks to its strong direction, fabulous performances and a gripping screenplay, this is the type of film that deserves to be seen on the big screen.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Credits Rolling 