Key Highlights
- Rachel McAdams stars as a meek employee who turns the tables on her abusive boss in ‘Send Help’
- The film’s plot revolves around power dynamics and revenge fantasies between two characters
- Linda Liddle (McAdams) is forced to confront her abuser, Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), after their plane crash
- Final scene reveals that Linda has become a murderer of innocent people by the end of the movie
Send Help: A Survival Thriller with Twists and Turns
You might think this is new, but “Send Help” is actually a rehash of classic revenge fantasies. Directed by Sam Raimi and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, the film stars Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle, an underappreciated employee who finds herself in a survival situation with her sexist boss.
Survival on a Deserted Island
The movie opens with Linda, played by McAdams, being abused and undervalued at the office. Bradley, Dylan O’Brien’s character, is a new CEO who takes an immediate disliking to her. When they both end up on a deserted island after their plane crashes, the power dynamics are reversed. Linda uses her “Survivor” skills to keep them alive, but things take a dark turn as she starts to assert dominance.
Revenge and Morality
The crux of the film is in how far Linda will go to get back at Bradley for his years of mistreatment. She abandons him twice, nearly letting him die from thirst before he learns his lesson (or so he thinks). The movie’s climax features a tense standoff where Linda corners Bradley with a gun, leading to a shocking twist that leaves you questioning her morality.
The Twist Ending
In the final scene, it’s revealed that Linda has become a murderer of innocent people by the end of the movie. She claims she was only protecting herself and others, but the truth is far more complex. The film ends with Linda driving along a coastal highway, singing “One Way or Another” by Blondie, while looking menacingly at the camera—a nod to her past as a survivor in “Mean Girls.”
So what does it all mean?
Is withholding help the same as harming someone? And where does one draw the line between self-preservation and morality?
