HELP!! (1993 film)

HELP!! is a 1993 American horror film directed by Chuck Russell and written by Daniel Waters. This is the first film in the HELP!! film series. Starring Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Christopher Lambert, Kurtwood Smith, Lauren Loughlin and Lincoln Kilpatrick.
The film is a non-linear narrative revolving around the mystery of a serial killer known as "KillMan". A group of young people on vacation at the seaside decided to save time and shorten the journey by passing through a dense forest. However, they did not suspect that this forest was inhabited by a dangerous serial killer who had long been on the run from justice.
The screenplay was written by Daniel Waters, who wrote his first horror screenplay. The script was originally written in 1990, but after unsuccessful attempts to obtain the script in their home country, they were urged to travel to Los Angeles. To help attract producers, they produced a low-budget short film of the same name. It proved successful in 1991 as producers from Universal Pictures were immediately involved in the production. The film was shot in 15 days on a budget of $600 thousand.
The film premiered on January 19, 1993 at the Sundance Film Festival and was later released in North America on October 29, 1993 by Universal Pictures. The film received universal critical acclaim and also paid for itself many times over and earned $82 million worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing horror films. It was re-released in select theaters on October 31, 2003, its tenth anniversary. The first sequel called HELP!! 2 was released in 1997.
== Plot ==
A group of young people on vacation at the seaside decided to save time and shorten the journey by passing through a dense forest. However, they did not suspect that this forest was inhabited by a dangerous serial killer who had long been on the run from justice.
Travelers become victims of a ruthless killer who follows on their heels. At first they think it's all just a strange coincidence, but as their numbers dwindle, it becomes clear to them that they have become prey to a mad killer.
They have limited resources and limited time at their disposal to find a way out of this maze of death. They realize that the only chance for survival is to join forces and fight the killer together. After all, only by uniting will they be able to survive this terrible nightmare and get to the sea.
The film will be a tense thriller, where every step of the travelers will be tense with anticipation of the next murder. They will have to overcome their fears and internal differences in order to survive and punish the killer who lurks in the shadows of the forest.
== Cast ==
* Cary Elwes as Nyssa
* Danny Glover as Daniel
* Christopher Lambert as Gordon
* Kurtwood Smith as KillMan
* Lauren Loughlin as Maria
* Lincoln Kilpatrick as Andy
* Beth Toussaint as Karen
* Willie Garson as Mr. Baum
* Pam Grier as Dude
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
HELP!! opened in third place on Halloween weekend 1993 in 2,000 theaters and grossed $15 million. According to the exit poll, 60% of the predominantly male audience were under 25 years old. An additional 150 theaters were added in its second weekend, bringing the number of theaters to 2,240. It fell to fourth place, earning $11 million, a 40% decrease from its opening weekend.
The film grossed $37 million in the United States and Canada and $45 million in other markets, for a worldwide total of $82 million. It became the highest-grossing horror film to date.
=== Tenth anniversary theatrical re-release ===
On October 31, 2003, the tenth anniversary of the film, HELP!! was re-released to select theaters for one week. The release earned $354,868 in its opening weekend and is the fifth-highest-grossing wide debut.
== Critical response ==
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 145 critic reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10. The website's consensus reads: "HELP!! attracts audiences with a deceptively clever plot and plenty of memorable set pieces." At Metacritic, a weighted average gave the film a score of 66 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Carla Meyer of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the film a positive review, saying that the film "combines B-grade acting with twisted thinking and visual tricks designed to disguise cheap effects."