Movie Review - Send Help

Director: Sam Raimi
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien
 
Description: Linda (Rachel McAdams) and her insufferable boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. Here, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, will they make it our alive?
 
Review: In the survival horror/ thriller “Send Help”, we are confronted not only with the brutal force of nature, but also with the psychological warfare between two survivors on a desert island. What begins as a classic survival story transforms, under the direction of Sam Raimi, into a claustrophobic study of power dynamics and the liberating power of feminine rage.

Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien form an unexpected electric couple. When their plane crashes, the situation forces them to work together. O’Brien plays the insufferable CEO of a large company and he does this with a nervous energy that slowly turns into a toxic need to prove himself. But it’s Rachel McAdams who takes the film to the next level. Her characters Linda, a grey mouse at the office who’s talent is underestimated and taken advantage of, starts out controlled and pragmatic. But as the isolation sets in and the threat of her companion becomes greater than that of the wilderness, we see a transition that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

The film excels in its portrayal of feminine rage. This is not blind anger, but a calculated, deep-seated outburst against years of underestimation and manipulation. Because all the men in this movie are dicks. The scene in which McAdams’ character finally takes control feels not only like a victory in the jungle, but like a universal catharsis.

Director Sam Raimi does not abandon his horror roots, this is still an R-rated movie. The film contains some blood-curdling moments and has gore that will make the viewer physically recoil. The tension is masterfully built up. Although the pace slows down slightly in the second act, this more than compensated for by the satisfying finale.

“Send Help” is a brutal, emotional rollercoaster that gives Rachel McAdams her most powerful role in years. It is a film about the will to survive, but even more so about the power that is unleashed when a women refuses to be a victim any longer. An absolute must-see for anyone who loves psychological depth with a sharp edge.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 126: Evil Dead 2

Director: Sam Raimi
Genre: Horror/ Comedy/ Action
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 1987
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie DePaiva, Ted Raimi, Denise Bixler, Richard Domeier, John Peakes, Lou Hancock, Snowy Winters, Sid Abrams, Josh Becker, Scott Spiegel, Thomas Kidd, Mitch Cantor, Jenny Griffith, William Preston Robertson, Sam Raimi

Description: The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holds up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.

Review: Ash, The only survivor of a demonic slaughter returns, with his girlfriend, to the same cabin where once the blood was flowing. By playing a tape, the demonic powers are again released and take possession of his girlfriend. Ash has to fight the demons himself.
“Evil Dead 2” is the sequel to the film “The Evil Dead”, that was released six years earlier. But it also parodies the first. The stories of both films are very similar. The difference is in the amount of blood splatter and the running gags.
For fans of the genre, this is pure entertainment. People who don’t like horror or horror combined with comedy, they will not change their minds after seeing “Evil Dead 2”. For me, it was a fun watch. I liked it just as much as the first.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 137: The Evil Dead

Director: Sam Raimi

Genre: Horror

Runtime: 85 minutes

Year: 1981

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Hal Delrich, Betsy Baker, Sarah York, Bob Dorian, Sam Raimi, Robert G. Tapert

Description: Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.

Review: “The Evil Dead” is the directorial debut of Sam Raimi and may be called one of the scariest horror films of all time. The movie, that together with its two sequels reached a cult status, is filled with great camera shots, a nail biting soundtrack and effective effects. The movie introduced people like Joel Coen as assistant editor, actor Bruce Campbell and off course Sam Raimi himself. “The Evil Dead” only cost 90 000 dollars, but was the best sold video in 1983.

It’s obvious “The Evil Dead” was made with a lot of enthusiasm. The movie is very bloody and has a great tension buildup and atmosphere. The fact that the budget was low, is visible in the makeup and special effects. It’s sometimes not credible, but it never bothers you. The same goes for the slapstick moments in the film.

Besides the fact that “The Evil Dead” is exciting and very scary, which many people tried to copy, it’s also a very violent movie. Chopped off heads and limbs, lots of blood and the zombies look kind of disgusting. The best scene is probably where Ash is alone in the house and his fear is visualized by surrealistic images and sounds. The camera shoots him from the ground, from a high angle, extreme close-ups. The clock goes back fast, to show us the night is endless. Also great is the moment where the camera moves through the woods, very low on the ground towards the house.

“The Evil Dead” is a great horror film, that didn’t cost a lot of money but gave us so much. A must for every horror fan. Nail biting and hard on the stomach.

Rating: 4,5/ 5