There’s a lot that’s very familiar about “Send Help.”
People stranded on a deserted island have made for compelling drama since Robinson Crusoe. “Send Help” sits somewhere in that proud tradition at the nexus of “Cast Away,” the third act of “Triangle of Sadness” and “Lord of the Flies.”
But just when you feel comfortable with that configuration, you’ll be reminded that this is a Sam Raimi film you’re watching, as geysers of blood or projectile vomiting jolt you back into his comfort zone.
Raimi is best known for starting his career by making the wild “Evil Dead” films on a shoestring budget before ushering in the modern age of superhero franchises by helming the first three “Spider-Man” films.
Raimi has settled into an interesting point in his career where he comfortably knows his way around a big-budget movie, but still can’t resist the siren call of his early independent horror days.
“Send Help” is an uneven film at best, but that makes it the perfect January release, where expectations are low and an audience that leaves feeling mildly entertained is considered a success.
The movie is essentially a two-hander with Rachel McAdams playing a mousy, middle-management office drone named Linda Liddle who gets passed over for a promotion when obnoxious tech-bro Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) inherits the company.
But the tables are turned when a plane crash strands Linda and Bradley on a remote island in the Pacific, and Linda’s obsession with the television show “Survivor” pays huge dividends in keeping both of them alive.
The power struggle between Linda and Bradley dominates the film, which is where the movie runs into its biggest underlying problem. McAdams is a much more formidable actor than O’Brien, to the point where it’s not much of a struggle at all. Even at points where we are supposed to believe Bradley has the upper hand, McAdams is still clearly in control of this movie.
This doesn’t seem to bother Raimi, who is much more interested in staging gross-out moments and jump scares than he is in character development.
The real takeaway from “Send Help” is that you’ll have a grand time if you’re down with not getting anything more than McAdams delivering a tidal wave of female empowerment and Sam Raimi doing Sam Raimi things.
When you’re stranded in January, sometimes you really only need the basics to survive.
“Send Help” is rated R for strong/bloody violence and language.
