Send Help (English) Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O'Brien
Director: Sam Raimi
Send Help Movie Review Synopsis:
SEND HELP is the story of an employee stuck with her boss on a remote island. Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a socially awkward employee who works in a company's Planning & Strategy Department. She's great at her work but doesn't get her due. Her co-worker, Donovan (Xavier Samuel) takes credit for a project for which she worked painstakingly. Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien), the newly appointed CEO of the company, appoints Donovan as the new VP. Linda makes her displeasure clear as Bradley's deceased father, who founded the company, had promised her the VP's position. Bradley makes it clear that she's not a pleasing person for the job. However, he gives her the opportunity to travel with him to Bangkok on official matters and prove her worth. Linda, Bradley, Donovan and a few others board the chartered flight. The plane crashes and Linda and Bradley are the only survivors. They are stranded on a deserted island; both despise each other and they are now compelled to be together for survival. Their mutual hostility soon spirals into dangerous games. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Send Help Movie Story Review:
Damian Shannon and Mark Swift's story is in the zone of HORRIBLE BOSSES-meets-CAST AWAY. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift's screenplay is captivating and full of surprises and shocks. But the writing also gets convenient in some scenes. The dialogues add to the madness.
Sam Raimi's direction does justice to the crazy script in hand. The veteran filmmaker has clearly evolved with the times and it shows in his storytelling and depiction of characters. The beginning portions give the indication that it'll be a light-hearted comedy. But the scenes of the plane crash make it clear that it's going to be a bloody affair. From here on, the makers have only one agenda – to push the envelope in every respect, be it in terms of twists, humour, or bloodshed.
On the flipside, in the quest to give the audience a crazy experience, a few developments feel more like shock value than organic storytelling, and don’t seem very convincing. The raft scene is a surprise, but one wonders how the whole plan was implemented when both the characters, at that time, were literally in front of each other the whole time. The finale also seems convenient and gives a strong deja vu of a similar plot point in a Hindi film. Lastly, the buzz in India is negligible and there's a fear that it might go the PRIMATE way.
Send Help Movie Review Performances:
Rachel McAdams is a scene-stealer, without a shred of doubt. She has delivered several worthy performances but the one in SEND HELP is one of her most accomplished ones. The way she has done full justice to the complex character is commendable. Dylan O’Brien ups his game, given that his co-star rocks the show, and manages to shine as well. Xavier Samuel and Edyll Ismail (Zuri) leave a mark in supporting roles. Thaneth Warakulnukroh (boat captain) is decent in a cameo.
Send Help movie music and other technical aspects:
Danny Elfman's music adds to the fun. Bill Pope's cinematography is splendid and even stylish in some scenes. Ian Gracie's production design is classy. Anna Cahill's costumes are realistic. The VFX is great, though it could have been better in the wild boar scene. The action is too gory and definitely not for the faint-hearted. Bob Murawski's editing is functional.
Send Help Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SEND HELP is a crazy, adventurous ride, with Rachel McAdams delivering one of the best performances of her career. While it has made waves internationally, awareness in India remains limited and that could impact its box office prospects in the long run.