It would seem that Sam Raimi’s still got it as a force to be reckoned with in the world of horror. Over four decades since making a splash in the genre with the success of Evil Dead, Raimi’s newest horror film, Send Help, has become an instant hit, garnering rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Currently, Send Help has a Certified Fresh score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, its praise nearly universal among critics. There’s no divide with filmgoers either, as the current audience score on the Popcornmeter is almost just as high as 88%. This continues the rave reviews that had started ahead of the RT score being released, as many critics were giving Send Help very high praise after early press screenings.
“From its cheeky score by the director’s frequent collaborator Danny Elfman, to its darkly humorous tone and playfully yucky special effects, the movie is Raimi at his most gleeful and twisted,” as Jeannette Catsoulis of the New York Times raved.
“Filmmaker Sam Raimi has done it again with this devilish thriller, a bloody, exceedingly clever, darkly funny movie that takes a nuanced look at gender and the corrupting nature of power,” Common Sense Media critic Jeffrey M. Anderson wrote, giving Send Help a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars.
Audience reviews are also largely positive, with one filmgoer posting, “Every second of this movie was awesome!!! I love when horror mixes with comedy, and Sam Raimi does it damn well!! He created a perfect balance between moments of thriller, survival, and humor, masterfully weaving together calm moments with totally insane ones!”
“Sam Raimi is back — a great horror film, a great psychological thriller and survival story. It has all the director’s distinctive elements,” said someone else.
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Directed by Raimi, the film was written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien co-star as an employee and her boss (respectively) who attempt to survive amid rising tension between them after getting stranded on a deserted island. Be forewarned that the film is full of blood and gore, very much earning its R-rating.
Send Help is now playing in movie theaters.
