Film Review: Send Help

Send Help
Director: Sam Raimi
Raimi Productions, 20th Century Studios
In Theaters: 01.30.2026

The beginning of the year is often cited as the dumping season for films, lovingly called “Dumpuary” by film fans. If it’s not an expansion of indie darlings or Oscar contenders, it’s bound to be a forgettable flick, so the common consensus says. Still, some gems do manage to eke from the dismal offerings; Send Help is one such example. A hilariously gruesome gore-fest brought together with amazing leads and energetic direction makes Send Help the perfect film to fill any theatrical needs this time of year. 

The film follows Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams, The Hot Chick, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), a meek financial strategist and Survivor fanatic, who ends up stranded on a seemingly deserted island with her douchey boss, Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien, Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner). Stuck in a place where the established hierarchy and traditional roles mean nothing, both characters are stripped down to their base instincts to not only survive on the island but also survive each other. 

Send Help was remarkably refreshing and healing in a way. Directed by Sam Raimi, the film perfectly straddles the line between horrific and hilarious. Seeing him come back to his horror roots was so satisfying and reminds us all why he is regarded as one of the horror greats alongside Wes Craven, John Carpenter and George A. Romero.

Only Raimi can take a scene where someone pukes on another person’s face and make it comedy gold. Scenes that fill you with disgust will go on and on until you have no choice but to laugh uncomfortably at the sheer ridiculousness that you are witnessing. I believe that if a film with that much grotesque imagery can make a horror-lightweight like my mother laugh, then it succeeded. 

Still, a film is only as strong as its leads, and McAdams and O’Brien excel in their roles. O’Brien pulls off the spoiled frat-boy persona with ease, right down to the chillingly obnoxious laugh and microexpressions. McAdams’s evolution of her character, Linda, is a joy to watch. Taking her character from a socially awkward, somewhat off-putting office worker to a confident yet crazed survivalist is a testament to her acting talent. The chemistry between O’Brien and McAdams keeps you on the edge of your seat. The interactions between the characters feel equally real and calculated as they try to outwit and gain the upper hand over each other. And when we get to the climactic third act, their unhingedness goes to a whole other level.

My only gripes with the film have to do with a few directional choices. The main one is the use of CGI. While I love camp, the over-the-top CGI gore took me out of the movie a few times and slightly diminished my enjoyment of the moments. It’s disappointing considering that Raimi is known for his use of practical effects. Also, this movie was made to be shown in 3D, and certain moments of the film clearly reflect that, whether it be through extreme close-ups or crash zooms. There are moments where it is plain as day that a shot was made purely because the film is intended to be a 3-D experience.

Even so, there is a lot to love about this film, whether it be Danny Elfman’s quirky score that accents the atmosphere without overtaking the scene, the tightly written script filled to the brim with great set-ups and satisfying executions or Raimi’s over-the-top direction. The film presents its story with confidence. If Send Help is any indication of the quality of horror films we have to look forward to this year, then we are sure to have some modern horror classics. — Angela Garcia

Read more reviews from Angela Garcia:
The Huntress (La Cazadora) Confronts the Myth of Justice
FilMéxico: A Cinematic Love Letter to La Patria