Help

Rishab Shetty's "Help" attempts to weave a haunted house narrative with family trauma, setting its eerie foundation on the picturesque shores of Mauritius. The film does succeed in establishing an unsettling atmosphere in its opening act—the 1990 flashbacks feel genuinely disturbing, and the decision to anchor the horror in psychological wounds rather than mere jump scares shows directorial ambition. However, the execution falters considerably as the narrative progresses. The screenplay struggles to maintain coherence between its supernatural and psychological elements, often feeling like two different films competing for screen time. Sarah Michelle Gellar brings a certain gravitas to Pia, and there are moments where her internal conflict feels authentic, but the supporting cast doesn't elevate the material, with Vic's character particularly underutilized as a mere plot device rather than a fully realized presence in his own marital crisis.

Where "Help" truly stumbles is in its inability to deliver satisfying answers or emotional payoffs to the mysteries it establishes. The twin sister subplot, which should anchor the entire emotional core, remains frustratingly vague and underdeveloped. The horror sequences become increasingly predictable—doors creak, objects move, the dog barks—without building toward anything particularly revelatory or terrifying. Shetty's direction lacks the precision needed for psychological horror; scenes that should grip the audience instead drift int