Review: Send Help 8.5/10

Send Help marks Sam Raimi’s return to R-rated genre filmmaking, and it is one I’m welcoming with open arms. After years of working within franchise constraints and PG-13 boundaries, Raimi is once again operating in a space that feels instinctive to him. The result is a film that leans into the very things he has always done best: heightened tension, dark humor, sharp tonal shifts, and an understanding that horror works best when it is equally uncomfortable and entertaining.

Send Help sets up a survival scenario that is deceptively simple and really well executed. Two coworkers survive a plane crash and are forced to rely on each other to stay alive. What makes it interesting is the fact that they already hate each other. It is a familiar story of a nepo baby getting a job over a more qualified woman, so when they end up stranded together, that tension is already baked in. Having to work together to survive adds a really strong internal layer to their dynamic.

What follows is not just a physical survival story but a psychological one. Raimi uses isolation and power dynamics to keep the tension building, turning even small character moments into something genuinely suspenseful.

The pacing is one of the film’s greatest strengths. Even when the story veers into familiar territory, Raimi keeps the audience on edge through sharp editing, rhythmic escalation, and a refusal to let scenes linger longer than necessary. There are moments where the narrative beats feel predictable, but the film never feels sluggish. Raimi understands that momentum matters, and Send Help moves with purpose, keeping you alert even when you think you know where it’s headed.

Much of the film’s success rests on its performances. Rachel McAdams delivers a compelling and grounded performance. She anchors the film emotionally, making the character’s frustration and resilience feel earned rather than performative. Dylan O’Brien is equally strong, leaning into a role that allows him to play against audience expectations. Their chemistry is essential, and the film works because their dynamic feels volatile and unpredictable. Dylan played an entitled nepo baby so well it drove me crazy.

Ultimately, Send Help feels like a confident reassertion of Raimi’s voice. It does not reinvent the genre, but it does remind you why his approach to horror has endured for decades.