Sam Raimi’s Survival Thriller 'Send Help’ Is a Feminine Rage-Fueled Must-Watch
Eagerly awaiting the Blu-ray release!
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
Legendary director Sam Raimi, best known for movies such as the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy and the horror franchise Evil Dead, is back at it again with a stylized survival thriller starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. Send Help taps into the spirit of feminine rage through the lens of a survival-obsessed subordinate stuck on a tropical island with her asshole boss. This dark comedy utilizes subtle camp and strategic gore in the unique and balanced way only Sam Raimi can achieve. The movie is the second-highest-grossing new movie of 2026, dethroned just recently by “Wuthering Heights”. Regardless, Sam Rami’s new movie is a must-watch that should be high on your TBW list!
Send Help follows Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams), a hard-working employee promised a major promotion until her boss kicks the bucket and his fratboy, douchebag son Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) takes over as CEO. Unsurprisingly, he plans to promote her less-qualified male coworker over her. As tensions are rising, the unthinkable happens: while traveling aboard a private jet for a work trip, the plane crashes, and a brutal scene unfolds depicting characters being picked off as the plane deteriorates mid-flight. The only two survivors? You guessed it. Linda and Bradley.
Now stuck on a tropical island, the tables turn when Bradley is injured and can’t fend for himself, making Linda the one thing standing between him and facing his own mortality. Good thing her dream is to be on the TV show Survivor, meaning she has all the knowledge and skills needed to survive on this island. After the torment Bradley caused Linda at work, will Linda use her newfound power over Bradley to give him a taste of his own medicine? While from the trailer and synopsis, you might think this is a straightforward survival thriller where the audience roots for Bradley’s downfall, Send Help has many surprising twists and turns, exploring the nuances of both of these characters. But, yes, you will also be rooting for Bradley’s downfall. Dylan O’Brien plays an asshole perfectly, down to the obnoxious laugh that screams ‘I hate women and play golf with the boys’.
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
And Racheal McAdams? She completely transforms herself for this role—from her awkward mannerisms to the tacky wardrobe that wears her, this role further proves she is one of the greats. I feel like we all know someone who falls under the Linda category: a social outcast struggling to make friends who is endearingly dorky and kind of off-putting; a stark contrast between her character from Mean Girls, Regina George.
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
My favorite aspect of Send Help is the characters themselves. Linda Liddle is motivated by her dream of survival. Finally, her skills have been put to the test, and she was right: she really has what it takes. She’s not just living, she’s thriving. For probably the first time ever. Bradley is the opposite, his rich white-ass thrives in a capitalistic setting and suffers when his privileges are ripped away, and he has to rely on his own skills, which he lacks. Her heaven is his hell. All of this is reflected in their shift of power.
Finally, Linda found an environment in which she is happy. So why would she ever want to go home? Her motivations go one step further when you realize Bradley has something she wants: companionship. She’ll take her shitty boss…who is a flirt and kind of cute if you think about it, over being alone. And that’s where this seemingly black-and-white story gets morally complicated, as both of these characters do terrible things while trapped on this deserted island. While some of Linda’s actions are unjustified, her feminine rage is as she takes back her power from Bradley. It’s cathartic, giving a prick a taste of his own medicine.
Her journey of self-discovery is reflected in her physical appearance and body language. In latent terms: she has a glow up. Her hair is metaphorically and literally let down, her natural waves embraced. Her clothes no longer wear her, she wears them. She navigates the world with newfound confidence; she is now comfortable in her own skin. And yes, in cheesy Hollywood fashion, she ditches her glasses! It’s a fun time, truly.
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
The ending of Send Help leaned into the camp while giving us a strong narrative finale that was ironic and exciting. After everything that went down, did Linda end up with Bradley’s life? I’ll leave it there, without spoiling anymore. But overall, I appreciate that this movie knew how to have fun and not take itself too seriously.
800-ish words later, I hope I have convinced you to go see Send Help if you haven’t already. If you want a stylized survival thriller with comedic elements and a fantastic cast, this is that movie! Bring your mom, the girls, or your horror-obsessed bestie. There’s a little something for everyone to enjoy in Sam Raimi’s newest film!
Sami DeMonster is the founder of The DeMonster and a freelance writer for DC.com. She is best known for being a content creator with a focus on comic books, with an emphasis on horror. She works with most major comic book publishers to help promote new titles and encourage people to read more comics!
