Support Us
Sign Up
In this column, Zosia Wijaszka reviews forgotten, underrated, and “hidden gems” horror films that deserve a new audience’s attention and post-watch conversation. The Terror Comeback’s goal is to celebrate the horror genre, both the genre in the cinema and on television.
‘Send Help’ Review: Unhinged Rachel McAdams is What We All Need
Whenever I saw Lost or, recently, Yellowjackets, one thing wouldn’t leave my thoughts: would I be able to survive such an ordeal? If so, how would I go about it? And more importantly, would my humanity persevere? In Sam Raimi’s Send Help, now streaming on Hulu, the main protagonist finds herself in a similar situation but the way she goes about it is anything but ordinary. Bloody, unhinged, and packed with twists and turns, Send Help is highly entertaining and one that can be watched many times.
Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) excels at her corporate job, but still, she’s the laughingstock of her colleagues and even her newly appointed boss, Bradley (Dylan O’Brien). Whether it’s due to her quirks, the way she carries herself, or the way she approaches things, Linda finds herself being an object of the old-fashioned bullying. Just when you think she might finally get a chance to prove herself and stand her ground, things go from bad to worse. During a business trip, the plane crashes on a deserted island, leaving Bradley and Linda as the sole survivors. Now, O’Brien’s character finds himself having to rely on Linda and her impressive survival skills he previously mocked.
Send Help is one of those films that frustrate you to your very core in the first half, just to completely twist and bestow upon its audience an unhinged, wild second half that gives us unfiltered, fierce, batty Rachel McAdams’ character that you’ll simply cheer for the entire time. Her Linda is beyond helpful, overzealous, and meticulous; coworkers don’t find her jokes funny and think she tries just a little too hard, but once we see her in her element, where she has to find shelter, food, and something to drink, she grows and flourishes into a swan, just like the Ugly Duckling story tells.
She portrays the type of coworkers we all have and know. Those that blend into wallpaper easily, those who can go ignored for days at the time. But once the characters find themselves on the island, we see how wrong her coworkers were about her; just because they knew her one way through work didn’t mean she was that way wholly which her character proves throughout the film. In both cases and both versions, McAdams does a phenomenal job.
After the plane crash, Linda attempts to keep injured Bradley alive, no matter how much he wants to resist it. In the film, O’Briens character symbolizes capitalism, the fake hierarchy that we put ourselves in just because, shallowness, and ungratefulness we so often see in such types. Both him and McAdams have outstanding dynamics, verging from hate, disgust, going to attraction, then distain. In fact, the film doesn’t really help us describe it and instead, we find ourselves guessing what are the characters’ real motives? Does Bradley really hate Linda so much? And if so, why is Linda going out of her way to aid to him?
In a way, Send Help can be reminiscent of Misery, but that is to take lightly. Both films differ from one another broadly, though I can agree they would make an excellent and entertaining double feature. Additionally, Raimi’s new film is plenty gory and certainly not for the faint of heart. It frustrates, it shocks, it makes you cringe and scoff all at the same time. In the end, it can even make you want to scream, cheer on, and howl.
It’s apparent based on the film that McAdams and O’Brien were a perfect match for Raimi’s vision. There isn’t much to play with, but two characters, beautiful ocean, and a remote island, yet there is not one dull moment here. From scene to scene, we unravel more information about Bradley’s personal life, about Linda’s past, and we wonder: what’s the end game here? Will they be found? Or will they kill one another before the rescue comes?
But once you think you know where the plot is heading, Raimi throws yet another twist you don’t see coming. Thus, Send Help is one of those films that’s best to go in blindly. Don’t read about it ahead, don’t research, and don’t look up anything. You’re about to experience new levels of bonkers you may not have seen before.
Grade: A
Send Help is now streaming on Hulu.
Follow us on MSN for more content like this.
Send Help
Two colleagues become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it's a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Rachel McAdams , Dylan O'Brien , Edyll Ismail
