Rachel McAdams is gleeful in this slightly bananas desert-island comedy – but closing scenes stutter

SEND HELP 

(15), 113mins

★★★☆☆

THINK of that one colleague at work you dread seeing every day.

Now imagine being stranded on a desert island with no one but them for company.

This castaway comedy-horror by director Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, Spider-Man) is bound to strike a chord with anyone who can’t bear their boss.

Fortysomething Linda Liddle (Mean Girls’ Rachel McAdams) is a smart corporate workhorse who is consistently overlooked in favour of better-connected and usually male colleagues.

With her greasy hair and fondness for a smelly tuna sandwich, Linda puts together vital spreadsheets for the strategy and planning department.

Survivor obsession

At night, she chats to her pet budgie and indulges in her obsession for the TV show Survivor.

When baby-faced new CEO Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) passes her over for a promotion in favour of his underqualified old pal Donovan (Xavier Samuel), Linda is left seething.

Loafer-wearing slimeball Bradley prefers practising his golf swing and flirting to reading financial forecasts.

But after he is confronted by Linda over her worth as an employee, he gives her a seat on the corporate jet for a work trip.

Following take-off she is devastated to see the “bros” onboard guffawing at footage they found of her audition tape to be on a Robinson Crusoe-style reality show.

But then the plane crashes into the sea.

And the only two people to wash up alive on a remote shoreline are Linda and the boss she despises.

Luckily for him, Linda’s survivor obsession means she knows first aid and how to makes fires, purify water and, entertainingly, spear wild boar to make bacon.

Unluckily for him, she’s about to let him know one coconut at a time who’s in charge now.

Despite the action being mostly marooned to just the two leads and the same stretch of sand, the energy never lets up.

McAdams plays the worm-that-turned, newly empowered and unexpectedly vengeful Linda gleefully, which delivers many laughs, a good amount of gore, some jump scares and a genuinely unexpected twist at the end.

Think Lord Of The Flies mayhem crossed with Misery. But a lot more fun.

The closing scenes do stutter. But there’s never anything predictable about this slightly bananas palm tree plot.

THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER 

(18) 128mins

★★★★☆

KRISTEN Stewart’s first film as director is a bold and emotional look at the life of writer Lidia Yuknavitch.  

Played with honesty and intensity by Imogen Poots, Lidia is shown struggling with the effects of childhood abuse, addiction and broken relationships while trying to find her voice as a writer. 

The story moves between past and present, mixing memories with current events to show how her experiences shape who she becomes.  

The film also explores her complicated relationships, including with mentors and partners who blur the line between support and harm. 

As Lidia discovers literature and begins writing, we see her slowly take ownership of her past. 

The film handles difficult themes such as trauma, sexuality and self-destructive behaviour in a direct, but thoughtful way.  

At times the style is quite experimental, but the main ideas remain clear.  

While some scenes feel a little long, Stewart shows real ambition and care. 

Honest, challenging and often powerful, it is an impressive debut with strong performances. 

LINDA MARRIC 

TWINLESS 

(15) 100mins

★★★★☆

THIS funny, unexpectedly tender drama balances absurd humour with a surprisingly sharp look at grief.  

Dylan O’Brien delivers an impressive dual performance as Roman, a young man grieving the loss of his identical twin, and as the charismatic brother we meet through flashbacks. 

The film mixes awkward comedy with sadness. And the strange situation of Roman attending his brother’s funeral while looking exactly like him sets the dark comedic tone.  

Things become more interesting when Roman joins a bereavement group and meets Dennis (played by the film’s writer-director James Sweeney), a witty outsider with his own complicated history. 

Their unlikely friendship starts with quirky bonding but gradually reveals deeper layers. The film cleverly shifts perspective midway, changing how we see earlier scenes and adding a quiet sense of dread. 

Sweeney’s direction keeps the pacing tight by blending heartfelt conversations with sharp one-liners and visual gags.  

While the darker turns may not work for everyone, its originality, strong performances and honesty make it engaging throughout.  

LINDA MARRIC