SEND HELP Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Sam Raimi
Stars: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien, Edyll Ismail, Xavier Samuel, Dennis Haysbert, Chris Pang, Emma Raimi, Thaneth Warakulnukroh.
If you tossed Castaway, Lord Of The Flies, Survivor: Battle Of The Sexes and the third act of Triangle Of Sadness into a blender, the result would be something like Send Help.
A corporate jet crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Only two survivors make it ashore on a remote island somewhere off the coast of Thailand. Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is the meek, mild mannered, frumpy, awkward and unattractive nerdy numbers cruncher who is not particularly well liked by her colleagues. She is often the butt of cruel jokes due to the smelly tuna fish sandwiches that she regularly eats. But as a massive fan of the tv series Survivor who has also filmed her own audition tape for the show Linda knows instinctively what to do in this situation. She builds a rudimentary shelter, makes a fire, manages to secure fresh water, and even kills a wild boar for food.
All this while her macho, smarmy and misogynist boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien), who recently assumed control of the financial management company following the death of his father, lies unconscious. Linda even tends to his wounds. But once Bradley regains consciousness the power dynamic between the pair constantly shifts. Linda has grown more confident and resourceful, while Bradley feels emasculated by her obvious ability. The tension between the two escalates as they wait in vain for any rescue attempts.
This entertaining survival thriller was written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, the pair who have collaborated on the 2009 remake of Friday The 13th and the big screen adaptation of Baywatch. But beneath the horror tropes, the film also serves up a critique of contemporary rampant misogyny and corporate culture.
Send Help marks director Sam Raimi’s first film since dipping his feet in the Marvel Cinematic Universe four years ago with Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness, but it contains many of his trademark touches – black humour, plenty of blood and gore, projectile vomiting, and a few moments of horror. And it goes wonderfully bonkers by the final act.
This is essentially a two hander, and McAdams and O’Brien do a lot of the heavy lifting here in this battle of wits and survival. There is a genuine chemistry between the two as they develop their characters and highlight their obvious differences. While O’Brien’s character remains pretty much of a douchebag throughout the film, McAdams’ Linda undergoes several changes of personality and grows more unhinged as the film progresses.
Send Help has been nicely shot by regular cinematographer Bill Pope, who occasionally uses inventive POV shots to good effect. Danny Elfman’s score is suitably ominous.
Send Help is, arguably, Raimi’s best film in over a decade.
★★★☆
