Sam Raimi returns with 'Send Help', a violent black comedy starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien as survivors of a plane crash stranded on a desert island. The film, scripted by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, initially promises an entertaining premise and shrewd satire, but ultimately suffers from Raimi's penchant for gratuitous horror flourishes that undermine believability.
McAdams plays Linda Liddle, a highly competent researcher passed over for promotion by misogynistic male executives, including new CEO Bradley Preston, portrayed by O’Brien. The two are forced together on a business trip, and when their private jet crashes, the capable Linda must contend with the spoiled alpha-idiot Bradley in a survival scenario that echoes classic desert island parables.
The first act effectively establishes the power reversal as the clueless Bradley adjusts to his new reality. However, the plot descends into derivative twists and inconsistent bursts of gore that feel tacked on and exasperating. Despite McAdams delivering a solid performance, the film's reliance on spurious horror elements damages its overall impact.
