Parents' Guide to Send Help

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. Packed with brilliant touches, Send Help is another gem in the director's crown, fitting in nicely with the Evil Dead movies, Drag Me to Hell, A Simple Plan, and even, to some extent, the Spider-Man trilogy. It initially seems to be a simple story about a misogynist corporate "bro" who views women only in terms of their looks and a socially awkward woman whose appearance and personality make her a target for him—and then the tables get turned.

But the movie goes much deeper than that, digging in to find Bradley's positive qualities and Linda's negative ones. The result is a story with two nuanced characters who sometimes lie and scheme, are sometimes cruel, and are sometimes genuinely trying to make a connection, trying to find a balance. It's especially fascinating watching how the island changes them. In one scene, Linda discovers a waterfall. She relaxes and bathes in it, and we realize that her comfort on the island is giving her more confidence—and, it's implied, making her more attractive. But let's not forget that this a very dark movie, and Raimi isn't afraid to go there. The wild boar hunt climax includes some of the director's most insane imagery, and it doesn't stop there. That said, Send Help isn't a movie to be discussed too deeply, lest its biggest secrets be revealed. Suffice it to say that Raimi fans—and cinephiles with strong stomachs—are in for a treat.