Send Help - Girl Boss Done Right (mostly)

 

Playing in Theaters 

        One aspect of society, by and large, is the unfortunate and impractical enforcement of “male privilege:” the notion that men are automatically elevated to high positions of authority simply because they are male. This is a real issue that still plagues many aspects of society and business, and should have died out by now, but that’s neither here nor there. Still, it would benefit more people to take a moment and reevaluate their place in the world from time to time. 

Such is one of the many messages and themes from todays subject, Send Help, a horror-themed survival thriller about, among other things, sexism, power dynamics, and the consequences of refusing to adopt, adapt, and improve. Not to mention a clever exploration into moral grey areas, which I always appreciate. And it doesn’t help that it’s also a better example (mostly) of how to do girl bosses. 

The story follows a middle aged woman named Linda (Rachel McAdams), who works in the strategy and planning department of some unspecified corporation, and has been the backbone of the company for years. The original CEO of the company had promised her a Vice President position once the torch had been passed down to his son, Bradly (Dylan O’Brian), an insufferable frat boy who snubs Linda out of the promotion, in favor of one of his old fraternity buddies. As Bradly heads overseas to secure the final details of a deal with another company in Thailand, Bradly decides to bring along Linda, recognizing that her work is still needed (and will be subsequently stolen as her work has been before). 

However, things take an unexpected turn, when the private jet crashes into the Ocean, killing most of the passengers, save for Linda and Bradly, leaving them stranded on a deserted Island. Fortunately, Linda happens to be a huge fan of the classic reality show, Survivor, with dreams of becoming a contestant, and has prepared herself for outdoor survival skills; including building shelter, getting water, and gathering food. Meanwhile, her one companion on the Island, Bradly, has a severe injury to his leg, and isn’t able to do much, relying upon Linda’s skills to keep them both alive. Still, Bradley refuses to accept the situation, and insists upon maintaining his false sense of power and control, causing tension between the two survivors. 

As they spend more time on the Island together, and slowly come to terms with their situation, will they learn to work together properly, or will the need to maintain male privilege overcome the greater needs of the situation? 

For the most part, this film is a solid story, with textured character brought to life by two excellent actors, revolving around a witty and clever script that succeeds in being gripping, provocative, and occasionally funny. Then again, this being a Sam Raimi film, a little bit of humor is to be expected. 

Yes, you read that correctly, our good old horror buff, Sam Raimi, directed this little film, and it shows in all the best ways. While the film does include many of Sam Raimi’s signatures (including some of the more grotesque and exaggerated), it also has his signature storytelling talent. Sam Raimi succeeds in reminding audiences that story and characters are always more important than anything else in a film. The way he guides the cast through the whole ordeal is masterful and witty. When you see Linda close the plane window because of something outside of it, you know this is a Sam Raimi film through and through. 

The cast is absolutely remarkable. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brian have stupendous chemistry, and bounce off each other incredibly well. They both also succeed in carrying the weight of the film on their shoulders, since they are almost entirely the only ones on screen. Rachel McAdams is especially phenomenal for portraying a character who is both sympathetic and terrifying at the same time. Without spoiling anything, her character has a backstory that both justifies her actions and causes one to question her sanity a little bit. It’s a wonderful case of understanding someone without entirely agreeing with them; something we need so much more of in our movies. 

The only issue I have with the film is that it is yet another case of “men are evil; women are good” trope that has oversaturated the feminist movement in films these days. While I am a feminist and do understand the issues with male privilege, I cannot stand this narrative choice of rendering all men as incompetent and evil, while all women are smarter and more capable; it only adds to the anger and resentment rather than offers any kind of middle ground for proper solutions, and it bothers me (both as a feminist and as a man) that too many writers are relying upon this aggressive and impractical narrative tool. Yes, narrative liberties and empowerment fantasies are understandable, but would it really hurt to at least have one male character in these stories who isn’t cartoonishly evil?

Which leads me to the MVP of the film, Dennis Haysbert, who not only has as much of an awesome screen presence as say Morgan Freeman, but is also the only male character in the film who isn’t a sexist, misogynist, evil dude-bro like the rest of the male characters; offering at least a little bit of representation for the “real” men that do exist. Aspiring screenwriters, take note! 

Despite this annoying narrative aspect, Send Help is a fantastic film that tackles so many real-world issues wrapped up in a neat story about survival, strength, and the importance of reevaluation. If you can handle the occasional gross-out moments, of which there aren’t too many, then please give this film a shot. It’s a silly little horror-ish film that has a lot to say, and it deserves your attention. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.