A suspenseful survival thriller that blends tension, performance, and stunning presentation
Send Help delivers a gripping tale of survival, trust, and manipulation set against a beautifully realized island backdrop.
What would you do if you ever found yourself on a deserted island? Would you have the survival skills necessary to stay alive? What if you survived a plane crash and the only other survivor was your new boss, who had just promoted his "office buddy" over you? Would you help him or leave him to perish without food and water? Or would you simply just kill him...After all, no one would know but you. These and many more questions probably ran through Linda Liddle's (Rachel McAdams; The Notebook) mind as she awoke on a beach and found Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien; The Maze Runner) not far away on the same Island.
Linda, a corporate strategist, worked for Bradley's father until his passing. She was promised a promotion, but Bradley gave the job to his frat buddy. Angry and frustrated, Linda confronts Bradley, who, impressed with her straightforward approach, invites Linda along on a business trip to finalize a merger in Asia. However, on the way, they encounter terrible storms that cause engine failure and an explosion. As everyone else is sucked out of the airplay, Linda and Bradley go down with the plane into the ocean. When Linda awakes, she finds an injured Bradley and uses her survival skills, which Bradley had made fun of earlier, to keep them both alive. However, once he is healed, Bradley finds himself relying on Linda, which he doesn't like, and he has good reason to be skeptical.
McAdams is excellent as the socially awkward, yet highly adept, Linda, while O'Brien plays the spoiled, chauvinistic Bradley perfectly. Director Sami Raimi's energetic style and close, point-of-view shots fit the tension of this story rather well. He also has wonderful, wide establishing shots that showcase the tropical but isolated nature of their location.
The Native 4K, Dolby Vision video quality is superb, which highlights the exotic flora, fauna, and wildlife of the setting. Colors pop off the screen, and details are sharp and intricate to the naked eye. The Blu-ray presentation is very good, but it can't hold a candle to the superior quality of the 4K disc.
The Dolby Atmos audio is equally impressive, as ambient noise, especially while they are stranded on the island, is robust and rich. The layers of dialogue mixed with a crackling fire and creature sounds help set the tone of the film and envelop the viewer for a more immersive experience.
This Disney/Buena Vista combo pack comes with the 4K disc, Blu-ray disc, Digital download, and a plethora of extras. The extras include: Audio Commentary by director Sam Raimi and producer Zainab Azizi, Deleted & Extended Scenes (Bradley's Office, Franklin at Coffee, Linda in Car, Airplane Intro, Plane Scene Version 1 - Storyboards, Plane Scene with Pre-vis, Plane Scene with Stunt-vis, Finding Water and Bradley, High Ridge 1 and Bamboo, Night of Horror Day of Hunger, Boar Scene Stunt-vis, Boar Scene with Puppet, Waterfall, Long Goodbye, Teaching Montage, Extended Campfire and Bradley Bathing, Extended Cave, Walk and Talk and Dinner, Castration Scene - Storyboards, Bee Cave, Franklin Returns, and Audition Tape), Constructing the Boar Hunt, From the Office to the Island, Becoming Linda Liddle, Survival Instinct, SOS: Sounds of Survival, Send Bloopers.
Send Help is an example of a well-written script merged with wonderful acting talent and a skillful director to create an enjoyable, suspense-filled tale of survival and manipulation. The original story is a breath of fresh air in a world saturated with recycled plots, making the movie a winner all around. From story and cast to visuals and audio to extras, this home entertainment release deserves a spot in everyone's collection.
Grade: A
