‘Send Help’ gives 4K home theater fans a bloody Sam Raimi island nightmare
by Joseph Szadkowski · The Washington TimesSam Raimi, one of the maestros of modern-day horror films, dabbled on the fringes of his favorite genre earlier this year and created a survival thriller not for the faint of heart in Send Help (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, rated R, 2.39:1 aspect ratio, 113 minutes, $49.99).
To be appreciated in the ultrahigh definition format, the tale of corporate abuse finds downtrodden strategist Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) overworked, exploited, and humiliated by her colleagues and nepo boss Bradley Preston.
However, she is rewarded for her fiery spirit with a business trip to Bangkok with the executive team.
The plane takes off without issue. Shortly after, her office rival denigrates Ms. Liddle by playing a tape of her auditioning for “Survivor,” much to the group and Mr. Preston’s amusement.
Well, guess what. In the most ironic and sinister of Mr. Raimi’s diabolical twists, the plane crashes on a deserted island, and the only two survivors are the strategist and the boss.
A brutally clever script plays out, mixing the director’s penchant for shock moments and even a few jumpscares within a story of revenge that will make every undervalued employee cheer.
Additionally, Ms. McAdams transforms from dowdy underling to fierce warrior in one of the best performances of her career.
And, any movie that starts with Blondie singing “Rip Her to Shreds” holds a loving place in my blackened heart.
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4K in action: The 4K presentation with high dynamic range color enhancements admirably brings a tropical paradise teeming with dangers to life.
Viewers will be dazzled by wide, sweeping shots of a mixed sandy and rocky beach in front of lush greens, mixing a variety of vegetation.
Highlights of the natural outdoor environments include the occasional piercing sunset, wind and storms, massive moss-covered tree trunks and rocky cliffs.
However, by far the most visually intense and insane moment finds Ms. Liddle killing a boar, and the amount of clarity surrounding the goo, gore and blood spewed in the vicious confrontation, a trademark of any great Raimi horror film, will challenge a viewer’s ability to even look at the screen.
Best extras: First, the all-important optional commentary segment with producer Zainab Azizi and the legendary Mr. Raimi goes nonstop with both offering on-set stories and production information while touching on casting, character insight, special and visual effects and locations.
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The next five brief featurettes (averaging 4 minutes each) cover the visceral boar hunt (which also explains boar vision); an overview of character relationships, the plane crash and shooting in Thailand; a focus on creating Linda Liddle; consulting with a survivalist; and the musical score with Danny Elfman.
Finally, an incredible 77 minutes of deleted and extended scenes, with some only in a storyboard format, offer viewers a pretty deep dive into the story-editing process and include Ms. Liddle’s full audition tape for “Survivor.”
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Joseph Szadkowski
jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com
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