“No help is coming, this is how things are now,” says Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) in Sam Raimi’s new comedy thriller “Send Help,” released Jan. 30. After the private plane taking Linda and her insufferable boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) on a trip for work crashes into the Pacific Ocean, the unlikely duo must survive long enough to be rescued while tensions grow between the two.
Bradley dislikes Linda because of her less than ideal workplace habits, like eating tuna fish sandwiches at her desk. Linda despises Bradley because of the biased way that he runs the company, like when he gives one of his fraternity brothers from college the promotion that Linda deserved. Bradley and some of Linda’s other coworkers make fun of her when they find her audition reel for the wilderness challenge reality TV show “Survivor.” However, Linda’s survival instincts prove useful when she and Bradley find themselves alone on the beach of a deserted island in the Gulf of Thailand.
From the opening scene of the film, McAdams steals the show, even from the charming O’Brien. Many of the edge–of–your–seat moments in the first act come from the cringe–inducing performance by McAdams. As Linda begins to blossom as she spends time in the wilderness, McAdams’ performance blossoms, too. McAdams becomes more unhinged as the film progresses and the expressiveness in her face becomes more over-the-top.
On set stylists do a fantastic job of transforming someone as glamorous as McAdams into a believable “loser” type like Linda Liddle. When Linda’s dream of using her survival skills comes true, the greasy-haired, bare faced Linda turns into a thriving, naturally glowing Linda.
Each time O’Brien is on screen, he harnesses the audience’s laughter. His finance bro persona, combined with his outrageous situation, lend perfectly to the tone of “Send Help.” O’Brien embraces physical comedy in his portrayal of Bradley, whether it is the perfect golf swing or the imperfection of a limp.
Raimi’s signature dark comedic style is on full display in “Send Help.” Raimi directs McAdams and O’Brien to be at their most campy. Mark Swift and Damian Shannon’s script provides an obvious commentary on the corporate world and grind culture, but fills each scene with enough humor that the message does not feel like it is being spoon-fed to the audience. Some moments, like McAdams and O’Brien’s discussion about their lives not being “in the office” anymore, blatantly let the audience know that the boss and employee dynamic between the two characters is shifting. However, other scenes in the film provide a more nuanced commentary on Linda and Bradley’s character relationships, like when the characters have an introspective conversation by the fire.
The cinematography keeps audiences uncomfortable with extreme close-ups on actors’ noses, eyes and mouths. Similarly, extreme wide shots of the vast wilderness or turbulent waters of the Pacific are intended to move audiences to the edge of their seats in anticipation. Though the CGI during these ocean scenes may be obvious to even an untrained eye, the lower quality graphics work in Raimi’s favor, adding to “Send Help”’s over–the–top “splatter thriller” look.
Raimi is a firm believer in practical effects over CGI when it comes to one thing: fluids. “Send Help” features many moments of blood, vomit and other gross elements that keep the survival story feeling fresh. In the film, McAdams and O’Brien were really covered in the blood and guts that leaves audiences squirming in their auditorium seats.
“Send Help” does not shy away from clichés of the survival and horror genres. The first act leans into the well–loved trope in which two characters think they can survive alone but ultimately have to team up to stay alive. A montage of Linda thriving and Bradley barely surviving precedes deep conversations by the fire, idyllic waterfall showers and plenty of makeshift meals. However, by the midpoint of the film, it becomes clear that “Send Help” is more than a survival thriller.
With a healthy handful of gore, jumpscares and all of the elements that leave audiences begging Raimi for more horror, “Send Help” is an edge-of-your-seat thriller with plenty of humor scattered throughout.
