Nearly four years ago, Disney and Marvel released “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022). Unlike its predecessor, the sequel was far more creative with its construction behind the scenes.
It’s not a flawless film by any means, but it does contain a missing special ingredient that Scott Derrickson’s original “Doctor Strange” (2016) was severely lacking. That ingredient was the one and only Sam Raimi. Raimi is known by many in Hollywood for being a director with a visionary style that no one else can replicate.
From making a horror comedy like “Evil Dead II” (1987) to directing three “Spider-Man” films from 2002 to 2007, Raimi has an imaginative mind many artists would die to have. He may not be an Oscar-winning filmmaker, but his work does more often than not please the public.
“Send Help” (2026) starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien is Raimi’s newest film. It’s not even close to reaching the lengths of “The Evil Dead” (1981-1992) trilogy or the “Spider-Man” trilogy, but it does succeed in entertaining its audience.
The film follows Linda Liddle (McAdams) and her arrogant CEO boss, Bradley Preston (O’Brien), as they survive after their company plane crashes into the ocean. Linda and Bradley are the only two survivors of the crash and are stranded together on a deserted island.
“Send Help” is less about having a classic three-act structure and more focused on the psychological battle of wits and shifting power dynamics between Liddle, a woman, and Bradley, a man.
More or less, Preston is the one who struggles to be in a position where he’s not in complete control. He relies on Liddle for survival, even if it’s something he resents. As the film unravels, the audience sees who is really in control in an environment outside the office.
The weight of this film rests on the shoulders of McAdams and O’Brien. For the most part, they are the only two people in the film, and keeping audiences engaged with both of these characters is a difficult task, no matter how good the director is.
Screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift are credited for writing the “Send Help” screenplay, and they do a good job capturing how people try to leverage their power over others despite not being in an official work setting. O’Brien’s performance as Preston perfectly exemplifies this.
O’Brien has been someone popping in and out of the limelight recently, and for him to star alongside McAdams in this film will potentially catapult his career to more opportunities. McAdams as Liddle is obviously the star of the show.
Although McAdams does a fabulous job playing Liddle, there is a missed opportunity with this particular casting decision. McAdams is great, but for the contrast between Liddle and Preston to feel more realistic, the production crew should have cast someone who isn’t a conventionally attractive woman.
O’Brien as Preston makes sense since he’s supposed to be the snarky, unlikeable CEO, but is incredibly handsome and lives a lavish lifestyle. Choosing someone who isn’t the epitome of Western beauty standards, like McAdams, would’ve been a better choice. As it stands, McAdams is still terrific as Liddle.
The film’s cinematography wasn’t a highlight either. For someone who is unfamiliar with Raimi’s filmography, almost all of his works have a distinct visual style. “Send Help” has the same color grading and lighting as most advertisements nowadays.
Raimi can fuse as much of his magic into this film. If it didn’t have his presence behind the camera, then it would easily be far worse.
Raimi has a great knack for using the camera in ways so many other filmmakers would neither attempt nor even think about. It’s still early in 2026, and “Send Help” likely will not be one of the best releases this year. But it does have that Raimi flare plus some great lead performances from McAdams and O’Brien.
Rating: 3.5/5
