Everyone, today, we review a suspense film that I originally didn’t plan on seeing. However, because a friend of mine wanted to see it rather badly, I agreed to see this one at least for this time around. With that said, let’s talk about this thriller film, Send Help, and stars Rachel McAdams, and Dylan O’Brien.
Plot: When a plane crashes in the ocean on the way to Bangkok, Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams), and her boss, Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) find themselves being the only survivors, and stranded on the Gulf of Thailand. Now, can they learn survival skills until someone comes, and rescues them?
Well, I will give this film this. Send Help was very suspenseful. It did a good job of portraying how life can be more rough, and difficult when you love on an island, and away from life that many people may know, especially those who end up having good jobs, living in good homes, you name it. Leads Rachel McAdams, and Dylan O’Brien, were also really good leads. The rest of the acting was also really great too. Finally, as far as positives go, there was really great cinematography. And it wasn’t even CGI backgrounds. How about that?
In spite of these positive aspects, however, I’m sure that some, if not a lot, of people that see this film will find themselves thinking that as far as films of this type go, they would probably rather hang out on an island in the Pacific Ocean with someone like Tom Hanks’ character, Chuck Noland in Cast Away, than on the Gulf of Thailand with survivors Linda, and Bradley. I mean putting aside the fact that this film is probably more violent than it should be at times, there is not a whole lot to really like about this movie beside the positive aspects that I mentioned moments ago. First of all, some people do hope that Send Help ends up going in this more positive direction, and that things turn out for the better. I mean even though the actors that portray those respective characters did well in those roles, the characters themselves aren’t all that likable. I mean with the way they each handle their actions, their motives, and things like that, let’s just say that they could have each been better characters. Truly, Send Help had so much potential to make these characters in particular have character growth, learn valuable lessons, and more. Yet, in the end, what we get is characters who, in the end, end up being psychotic, cruel, rude, and downright hateful. Because of this, there was a storyline that also had potential, but, in the end, felt squandered in more ways than not. Finally, there were some lessons that could have been incorporated in this movie, and learned from, but, again, also wasted potential.
And that’s my review for Send Help. It is good in terms of it showing what life can be like when being stranded on an island. It is also really suspenseful at points, and has great acting, both the lead(s), and supporting cast. Aside from elements like those, people can find themselves probably watching either a better thriller suspense film, or just other films period with a storyline similar to this one. I would say that before you spend money on this movie, unless you’re an AMC Stubs Member, and thus can see up to 3, or 4, movies a week, probably just go watch a film like Cast Away, which had a storyline similar to this one, but executed better, or films with Rachel McAdams that are more fun, and lighthearted, and in which McAdams played more likable roles, be it in films like Mean Girls, The Family Stone, Wedding Crashers, you name it. Honestly, after seeing Send Help, I think I’m going to try, and make time to rewatch, and review Cast Away either sometime this year, or next, especially since it just reached it’s 25th anniversary this past December anyway. Anyway, unless you really enjoy suspense thrillers, or even films with some horror elements, probably give Send Help a skip.
Final Rating: 6/10
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