Director Sam Raimi is back with a new horror film, Send Help, which is generating buzz online after early viewers responded positively. Raimi hasn’t directed a straight-up horror movie since the well-regarded Drag Me To Hell in 2009, though he did bring a horror element to the 2022 Marvel film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The initial Rotten Tomatoes score for Send Help reflects what most people are saying: Sam Raimi has delivered another successful horror film. Currently, 92% of the first 51 critic reviews are positive, and audiences seem to agree (though an official audience score isn’t available yet). While critics each highlight different aspects of the movie, common themes are emerging from the reviews.
6. Rachel McAdams And Dylan O’Brien Go All-In
Though “Send Help” features a sizable cast, the story quickly focuses on the dynamic between Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, who play a stressed employee and her arrogant, prejudiced boss. The trailer hints at a power shift, with McAdams’ character, Linda, taking control. Reviewers praise both actors for fully embracing their roles, which significantly improves the film.
As Todd Gilchrist noted in his review, Rachel McAdams and Saoirse Ronan deliver incredibly bold performances, pushing their characters to extremes we haven’t seen from them before. Many critics especially highlighted McAdams’ willingness to fully commit to a complex character who undergoes significant changes throughout the film.
5. Send Help Keeps Audiences Guessing
At first glance, Send Help appears to be a simple story of a woman and her boss stranded on a desert island after a plane crash, where things quickly become complicated as their dynamic shifts. But as with all of Sam Raimi’s work, it’s never quite what it seems, and reviewers agree that the experienced director consistently surprises and challenges audiences.
According to Alonso Duralde at The Film Verdict, your first impressions of the characters in Send Help might change as the story unfolds. While the basic premise is clear from the trailers, the show isn’t predictable, and that’s what makes it so exciting.
4. Sam Raimi Balances Horror With Biting Comedy
Sam Raimi’s horror films are known for balancing intense gore with dark humor, and it seems Send Help does this exceptionally well. Chris Tilly from Dexerto called it a “twisted desert island tale that seamlessly blends comedy and horror.” Many reviews used the word “twisted” to describe how the film uniquely combines these two genres.
The core idea offers Raimi lots of opportunities for humor, especially with the funny contrast between everyday office life and extreme survival situations. Both McAdams and O’Brien fully commit to their roles, which makes the comedy work really well, even though they aren’t known for being comedic actors.
3. Send Help Offers Cross-Genre Entertainment Value
Karina Adelgaard from Heaven of Horror highlighted that Send Help successfully blends several genres she enjoys, including dark comedy, psychological horror, and thriller elements, with some surprising twists. Many reviews have pointed out this unique genre combination in Raimi’s new film, and Adelgaard’s description captures it well.
It was natural to compare Send Help to shows like Castaway or Survivor. But it’s great that both dedicated horror fans and those just looking for a good thriller will enjoy it. This broad appeal could make Send Help a surprisingly big success in theaters.
2. Raimi Delivers Brutal, Well-Executed Violence
In a review for Fresh Fiction, Courtney Howard described Send Help as “bloody, radical, and totally savage,” and that seems to be a common reaction to its intense action. While the film definitely delivers on gore – as you’d expect from Sam Raimi – it also offers more than just typical slasher-style horror with weapons like knives and chainsaws.
The island location provides many unsettling encounters with plants and animals. However, because the characters don’t have conventional weapons, they find creative ways to fight back when chaos erupts. Director Sam Raimi clearly enjoys this, and the film delivers a lot of intense and memorable violent scenes.
1. Send Help Will Please Sam Raimi Fans
Sam Raimi is a celebrated filmmaker with a diverse career. He started with popular cult films like The Evil Dead and Darkman, then moved on to blockbuster projects such as the Spider-Man trilogy and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He’s instantly recognizable for his dynamic and energetic camera style, often using shaky perspectives, quick camera movements, and dramatic zooms.
The movie Send Help seems to deliver what fans expect from director Sam Raimi. As Maxance Vincent from The Cosmic Circus puts it, the film is full of unique visuals that capture everything audiences have come to appreciate about his work.
Though more polished and deliberate than his first films, like The Evil Dead, Send Help still feels raw and immersive with its intense violence. That alone should draw plenty of horror fans, but early reviews suggest it’s a good movie for anyone, even those who don’t usually watch horror.
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2026-01-27 01:49