GENRE | Rachel McAdams Saves Dylan O'Brien's Bacon – 'Send Help'

"Don't ever mistake my kindness for weakness."

20th Century Studios

Master of horror-comedy Sam Raimi directs the twisted desert island survival thriller, Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as our mismatched but stranded co-workers. Essentially a Cast Away-type two-hander with shades of Triangle of Sadness that aims to reverse common but sexist gender roles in the workplace, Raimi's gnarly film mines so many wildly fun genre thrills by slyly toying with our expectations.

McAdams is both wondrously vicious and sparkling as a frumpy office outcast transformed into a powerful survivalist prepared to take charge, kill, and defend herself. As the boss from hell, O'Brien fits his "finance bro" archetype to a tee, particularly as he struggles to be submissive and rely solely on McAdams for his basic human needs. Their constantly twisting relationship dynamics and resulting escalating tension outside of the office anchors the tricky tightrope walk tone of the film's electric chemistry of conflict.

Scripted by horror veterans Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, Send Help makes for an ideal genre thriller full of dark laughs about toxic men and angrier women. Both McAdams and O'Brien are stellar in their physical and emotional performances. It's a joy to watch Raimi continue to flex his much-loved but decidedly mean-spirited horror-comedy chops again while maximizing the audience's reactions.


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