The paragon of comedy-horror finally returns

It’s been nearly 17 years since Sam Raimi directed a horror movie. In that time, horror filmmaking entered something of a renaissance. Love it or hate it, the so-called “elevated” horror has been the prevailing style for critics and audiences alike. Ari Aster and Robert Eggars are basically modern horror royalty at this point. I’ll be honest with you; I’ve been fully on board with the current horror zeitgeist. Those two directors have made some of my favorite movies of all time. With that being said, it is admittedly a breath of fresh air to see some of the old-school styles begin to re-emerge in the mainstream. After a decade we got a new Evil Dead entry (despite my complaints about it). The Substance also seems to have shown a renewed interest in body horror. Eggars is entering his monster movie revival era with Nosferatu and the recently wrapped Werwulf. It seems a new horror cycle may be beginning.

This brings us to Send Help.

Send Help’s premise will feel very familiar to those who have seen Triangle of Sadness. What if the working class and the executive class were marooned on an island together? Despite treading similar thematic ground, Send Help is less interested in exploring the nuances of class warfare in the esoteric sense, and more interested in exploring the nuances of what you might like to do to your douchebag boss if you had no cops around.

McAdams and O’Brian bring fantastic chemistry and physical presence to the script. The over-the-top performances bring the perfect amount of “loudness” to sell Raimi’s campy style. McAdams in particular displays the full range of her talents, through her balance of the cringe-inducing awkwardness of her character early on and “good for her/revenge with a smile” energy that slowly unravels throughout the film.

The movie’s success is aided by its editing team. It feels tight and punchy. It’s well paced and doesn’t overstay its welcome, with its runtime coming in under two hours. While relatively sparing in the scare factor, when it’s “go time” it comes with full-send intensity. The signature Raimi style of blending practical and digital effects achieves cartoonishly gory effects that you can’t help but laugh at while scrunching up your face in disgust.

Raimi’s filmmaking feels as fresh and entertaining as ever. Equal parts gorefest and goofy comedy, it just feels nice to have him back in his wheelhouse. Amidst the sea of dread-inducing horror movies, Send Help is an island of fun in a way that only he could make.