Send Help Movie Review

Send Help (2026)

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Written by: Damian Shannon & Mark Swift
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O'Brien
Rated: R
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Plot
When an employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash, they must overcome their grievances and work together to make it out alive.

Verdict
It's a bit of fantasy with an overworked and under-appreciated employee getting the chance to prove herself invaluable to her boss as the company hierarchy is instantly overturned. This is a wild ride that can be a bit gory as it leaves you wondering what's going to happen next. Will the pair overcome their differences to thrive or will attitudes and differences diminish their chances and end in death? It's up and down as they both hide their feelings about the situation, scheming to reach their goals.
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Review
The hard working and dedicated Linda (Rachel McAdams) is not afforded any opportunity to advance as others take credit for her work. Linda has been waiting for a promotion for a long time, and she gets no recognition. She's valuable, but not liked. Part of the problem is that she's socially awkward, doesn't fit in, and thus turns people off.

The new boss Bradley (Dylan O'Brien) plans to use her work and then ship her off, first taking Linda and his vice presidents to Bangkok. We get both sides. She's great with numbers but she's not a people person. Linda is also a survival enthusiast. Somehow Bradley and his friends find her audition tape for Survivor. They're unnecessarily cruel, mocking her during the flight. Of course she's the only one working on the flight and found a way to save the company a sizable amount of expenses, but she deletes the work when she realizes they're laughing at her. They don't deserve her work if they won't respect her. Turbulence during the flight leads to a surreal scene with the vice presidents fighting each other to survive as the plane breaks apart. One of them chokes Linda, trying to oust her from her seat.

Rachel McAdams plays Linda

With the crash landing on an unoccupied island, Linda's survival skills will be quite useful. Initially she seems like the only survivor, but she finds Bradley somehow alive despite serious injuries. She puts her knowledge to use and creates a shelter for Bradley and gathers water. When he wakes, he immediately criticizes her stating she should be creating a distress signal. She rebuffs him stating she's the reason he's even alive. Bradley pulls out the boss card, telling her to watch how she speaks to him. On this island there is no hierarchy. I'm glad Linda realized that. Bradley still think she'll capitulate, and I enjoyed his comeuppance.

Linda triumphs in hunting a boar, though it was more gruesome than it needed to be. She's literally living her dream of being on the show Survivor. I wondered if this would end with Bradley discovering her value while she realizes she needs to be more sociable. This doe not fall into convention, aside from a camp fire scene where they share their pasts, revealing emotional vulnerability.

Bradley wants to act and take charge though he's unable, and she's doing everything for him. He even fires her as all he has to signify his importance is his title as boss. He's never done anything. He didn't build the company. Bradley leaves to start his own camp, soon realizing it's not as easy as he thought. He's never had to do any work at any point in his life.

Dylan O'Brien plays Bradley

This is a bit of wish fulfillment with Linda getting to prove to her boss how valuable she is in a life and death situation no less. She has had a glow up, island life I suppose. Bradley admits that he can't survive on his own, acknowledging all of his mistakes. Linda enjoys that, as she should. In turn, he gets the chance to save her life which feels overly scripted.

I kept waiting for Bradley to do something, with the movie teasing a stupid action out of spite. While it doesn't make sense as he's relying on her, she's also enjoying her freedom on the island and is in no hurry for a rescue. Linda likes this life, and she's important. How far will she go to stay? That tension comes to a point, and it proves just how wild this movie can be. They get into a knockout fight, leading to a big reveal. This is such a ride, you never quite know where it will go.