'Send Help' review: Sam Raimi explores darker sides of island survival

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January 31, 2026 | 1:30pm

MANILA, Philippines — Sam Raimi takes his mastery of horror and comedy to the middle of the ocean in "Send Help" starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien.

McAdams plays the overworked Linda Liddle, a huge "Survivor" fan and corporate strategist waiting for a deserved promotion — a hope that evaporates when O'Brien's Bradley Preston takes over from his father's company, and from the get-go clearly dislikes Linda.

Things change however when Linda and Bradley find themselves the sole remnants of an airplane crash somewhere in the Gulf of Thailand, where power dynamics are tested as heads clash over and over again.

Raimi earned a name for himself with the "Evil Dead" franchise, though more people will know him for his time helming a "Spider-Man" trilogy and his latest film "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness."

No matter the project, Raimi always manages to sneak in horror undertones while still keeping the overall plot light, and such is the case for "Send Help."

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Its dark comedy direction, though, especially where social dynamics are concerned, is very reminiscent of 2022 Palme d'Or winner "Triangle of Sadness," which shot Dolly de Leon into global fame.

The thought must have crossed "Friday the 13th" reboot writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon's minds, though the duo and Raimi still manage to steer the film into something more in line with the director's flavor.

The plot serves its purpose through all the bickering but McAdams, who really makes it work as the plucky Linda trying to keep her sanity and control in check, even to the detriment of the never-been-submissive Bradley.

The overreliance of visual effects is reminiscent of Raimi's past outings like the "Doctor Strange" sequel and "Oz the Great and Powerful" when it was really his fascination with practical effects that certified his status as a quality filmmaker.

Regardless, "Send Help" is another January release that can keep cinemas afloat, especially when rickety rafts just won't cut it.

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