Send Help 2026 Review

Sam Raimi returns to his chaotic roots in Send Help, a wildly bloody and hilarious comedy-horror mash-up set on a remote island, and yes, it’s as bizarre as it sounds. The director behind Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell, and Spider-Man 2 is back with a vengeance. It’s fast, it’s messy, and it’s unmistakably Raimi.

This time around, the story centres on two characters from completely different worlds: Bradley Preston, a painfully smug tech CEO, and Linda Liddle, a tired, sharp-tongued admin worker who just wants a break. Played brilliantly by Dylan O’Brien and Rachel McAdams, the two are stranded together after a private jet crashes on a deserted island off the coast of Thailand. What follows is part survival film, part blood-soaked comedy of errors.

Let’s start with the good. The performances from O’Brien and McAdams are top tier. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching two characters who would never voluntarily share an office cubicle try to survive side by side. McAdams plays Linda with a grounded wit that anchors the film in its early chaos. Her delivery is dry, her timing is razor sharp, and she clearly understands the kind of film she’s in. O’Brien, on the other hand, leans right into his character’s obnoxiousness. His transition from high-powered shares/ stocks bro to panicked, fungus-covered mess is genuinely entertaining to watch.

It’s also nice to see a horror film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The dialogue is self-aware without being cringey, and the humour actually lands more often than not. You’ll find yourself laughing out loud during scenes that, in other hands, could have come off as forced or try-hard. Raimi knows exactly how to balance absurdity with tension, and Send Help walks that tightrope almost the entire runtime.

Being a Raimi film, there is of course plenty of gore. It’s playful, cartoonish, and over-the-top, especially in the third act. The final 25 minutes are pure chaos. But that’s also when the movie shines. Raimi never lost his flair for practical effects and squelchy visuals, and you can tell he had fun with this one.

What’s especially exciting for us here at The Pop Culture Reviewer is that this film was shot in Sydney. As a proudly Sydney-based outlet, we love getting behind local productions, and this one deserves the spotlight. The crew did an outstanding job. You wouldn’t guess from watching it that a large chunk of it was made right here. The jungle feels genuinely isolated, the makeshift set pieces are great, and the production design has that perfect blend of handmade chaos and high production value.

The score, composed by Danny Elfman, brings that familiar weirdness that long-time Raimi fans will appreciate. Elfman, best known for his collaborations with Tim Burton and Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, injects tension and playfulness in equal measure. The soundtrack never overwhelms the film, but it does give it that signature offbeat tone that keeps everything feeling slightly unhinged in the best way. Now for the not-so-great parts. The structure is a bit odd.

The pacing feels uneven, and at times the film plays more like a stitched together series of shorts than a fully cohesive feature. You’ll notice clear scene changes that feel like standalone skits, funny and engaging on their own, but lacking that narrative thread to pull everything together. This isn’t a dealbreaker, especially in a film that leans so hard into absurdity, but it does hold Send Help back from being truly great.

Some audiences might also find the horror side of things a little underwhelming. It’s definitely a comedy-first, horror-second kind of experience. There are only two or three proper jump scares, and while the third act ramps up the discomfort with gruesome visuals, this isn’t a particularly scary film. In fact, it could serve as a perfect entry-level horror for newcomers, fun, gross, but not traumatizing. Where the film does land hard is in its tone. You’re constantly torn between laughing and cringing, which seems to be exactly what Raimi was going for. There’s a moment involving a rotting corpse, a coconut, and a very confused parrot that somehow manages to be both disgusting and laugh-out-loud funny, which perfectly sums up the energy this film thrives on.

It’s worth noting the technical side of things is strong across the board. The sound design in particular deserves a shoutout. You’ll hear every squelch, crunch, and creepy whisper with full clarity. The cinematography, while not groundbreaking, is a massive step up from some recent low-budget horror fare. Wide drone shots of the jungle contrast well with close-up, handheld chaos. There’s an occasional lo-fi visual sprinkled in, a throwback to Raimi’s earlier work, but the overall look is clean and polished.

For fans of Raimi, Send Help feels like a bit of a victory lap. It borrows from his earlier films in tone and visuals, but it never leans too heavily on nostalgia. You get the sense he’s just having fun, and thankfully, that fun is infectious. It’s not his best work, but it’s far from a miss.

In terms of cast, it’s hard to imagine anyone else nailing these roles the way McAdams and O’Brien do. Their chemistry isn’t romantic, which is refreshing, and instead feels like a weird, mutual respect built out of trauma and coconut water. Their banter is fast-paced and clever, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them even when they’re being completely ridiculous.

The film might not be a game-changer, and it certainly won’t be for everyone, but it delivers on what it promises. You want blood? You’ve got it. You want laughs? They're there. You want a solid excuse to watch two people lose their minds on an island with homemade weapons and Raimi-style jump cuts? Look no further.

Send Help is a good time. It’s flawed but funny, bloody but not too brutal, and above all, it’s unmistakably Sam Raimi. For Sydney-based film lovers, it’s also a great excuse to support the local industry on a project that clearly gave its crew the chance to go wild. If you’re looking for a tight, suspenseful horror, this isn’t it. But if you’re keen for a funny, gory romp that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Send Help is well worth checking out. This is why I rate this film a 7.5/10