NEW YORK (OSV News) – “Send Help” (20th Century) is a bitterly cynical horror movie that charts a race to the ethical bottom between its two main characters. In fact, as scripted by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, director Sam Raimi’s deliberately outrageous film suggests that worldly success can be achieved by resorting to unbridled viciousness.
The plot hinges on a sudden, dramatic shift in the power dynamic between Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams), a hard-working but socially awkward businesswoman, and Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien), her arrogant rich-boy boss. At the headquarters of the conglomerate he recently inherited from his father, Bradley crudely exerts control.
When the corporate jet crashes on a trip across the Pacific, however, and Linda and Bradley — the only survivors of the accident — wash up on a remote island, all that changes. Although Linda initially nurses the wounds Bradley sustained in the mishap and uses her past study of survival skills to keep both of them sheltered and fed, her mood soon darkens.
In the face of Bradley’s ongoing high-handedness, Linda makes it clear that she is now in charge and that she intends to get her revenge for the way Bradley blocked her advancement and constantly demeaned her back at the office. A sort of rivalry springs up between the duo to see who can gain the upper hand in the most underhanded manner.
When an opportunity for the pair to be rescued presents itself, moreover, Linda lets it pass. Although Bradley longs to return to his old life, Linda is quite content with her temporary supremacy over him based on his demonstrated inability to fend for himself in their savage new environment.
The fatal flaw in “Send Help” is not its indulgence in gore, though there is certainly enough of that. Rather, it’s the fact that the audience is meant to revel in the increasingly nasty contest unfolding between Bradley and Linda as well as in initially mousey Linda’s increasingly unhinged behavior.
The film contains scenes of bloody violence and psychological torture, grisly images, a vengeance theme, rear nudity, about a half-dozen mild oaths, frequent rough language and much crude and crass talk. The OSV News classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
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