[MOVIE REVIEW] 'SEND HELP' is Campy, Gory Fun

Some jobs make you want to be stranded on an island, though nothing could be worse than your boss being stranded with you.

‘SEND HELP’ (2026) is Sam Raimi’s return to horror on the big screen. It’s an intense experience that leaves you howling at the insanity on the beach.

Linda Liddle is a corporate strategist that is next in line for the position of vice president of the company. Her only obstacle is her boss’s brash son, Bradley Preston, who has just taken over. He’s going to give the position to his friend Donavon unless Linda can impress him on finalizing their Bangkok merger. 

But when their flight crashes after suffering engine failure, survivors Linda and Bradley find themselves washed up on a secluded island. The question is where the danger lies: in their new exotic surroundings, or within themselves.

This movie had me on edge. It was intense and spiteful. The two leads are so antagonistic that I constantly kept switching sides on who I believed was in the right. 

Their hatred is matched only by their need for each other. 

Linda excels at time management and delegations; her skills extending beyond the walls of her cubicle. Additionally, she has wilderness survival training. However, none of these skills supplement the fact that she is lonely. 

Her arrogant boss Bradley, meanwhile, is defenseless to the wild. He resents everyone of Linda’s accomplishments despite him benefiting off of them. Bradley is at odds with his own need of being in control and having been humbled to Linda’s skills. She’s undesirable to him and he would kill her if it meant he could escape alone. Linda’s constant sabotage of his potential escape starts as karmic justice and becomes petty acts of satisfaction. It’s amazing when a film makes you feel bad for a despicable person.

This is a movie for Raimi horror fans. It’s merciless, campy, and hilarious. I would compare it to Drag Me to Hell (2009). The blood is CGI and we get some digital animals, though it’s not distracting. Raimi always manages to walk the line of comedy and horror, and this movie is no exception. 

The actors understand their roles impeccably. The stand-out for me was Rachel McAdams, who manages to make a seamless switch from an office bore into a ruthless survivalist.

I didn’t have any problems with the movie. Every scene and bit of action build into a more satisfying conflict. The film reminded me of a combination of Castaway (2000) and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). The characters developed into monsters in such an organic way that even when they opposed each other, I was on both of their sides.

This movie is fantastic, heart pounding, and entertaining. It’s a merciless petty attack on all smug bosses. A horrific and hilarious experience that makes you cheer for a finger in an eye socket. If you want a spitefully horrific time, go see Send Help. 

9 CGI boars out of 10.