The poster for “Send Help” advertises the film as, “from the director of ‘The Evil Dead’ and ‘Drag Me to Hell’” — notably not “Spider-Man” (or its two sequels). No, the kind of Sam Raimi film you’re getting here is irreverent, silly and very bloody; a character study that also features incredibly goofy scares. Written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, “Send Help” is a gonzo survivalist riff that works as well as it does because it features two incredibly game actors that surf the wave of Raimi’s tonal madness with a blend of absolute glee and carefully honed skill.

If the poster were to present the star of “Send Help,” in the same way as Raimi, the tagline would read, “from the star of ‘Red Eye’ and ‘Mean Girls,’” because Rachel McAdams is fully in her horror/comedy mode here, and it’s an excellent reminder of her range. Co-star Dylan O’Brien also proves himself once again to be one of the best actors of his generation: a teen heartthrob who now operates more like a chameleonic character actor. Both McAdams and O’Brien play with their movie star personae but move beyond those expectations to deliver highly expressive, almost clownish performances — in the best way.

McAdams is astonishingly dowdy as beleaguered corporate workhorse Linda Liddle, a “Survivor”-obsessed loser who is passed over for a promotion by her slick new nepo baby boss, Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien). In an attempt to play the good ol’ boys game, she boards a private flight to Bangkok with the team where she bangs out memos while they laugh at her “Survivor” audition tape. One plane crash and stranding on a tropical island later, the tables are turned, with the injured Bradley now at the mercy of Linda and her survival skills.

The swap in power dynamic thrills Linda, and the shift calls to mind Ruben Östlund’s “Triangle of Sadness,” specifically the relationship between Dolly de Leon and Harris Dickinson. But “Send Help” is more of of a psychological exploration than overt class satire, though it incorporates all relevant social status markers and constructs as it explores the ridiculous notion of what it would be like to be stranded on an island with your boss.

McAdams and O’Brien deliver almost silent-film era acting with their faces (there’s one bravura long shot of O’Brien eating a bug that’s absolutely virtuosic), and Raimi’s camera playfully pushes the audience around, offering exaggerated tilts and close-ups on specific items, saying “look here, at that!” There’s no subtlety, but would you expect that from the director of “The Evil Dead” and “Drag Me to Hell”? You’re just waiting for the ghouls and blood geysers to pop out. That level of cheeky artifice extends to the aesthetic of their paradisiacal island adventure too, but we don’t come to a Raimi film for its natural realism.

If there’s any flaw to “Send Help,” it’s that it generates such nuance and empathy for both Linda and Bradley, even within such outlandish circumstances and style, that it feels impossible to root for just one of them to come out on top. The film paints itself into such a corner when it comes to their conflict that any ending would feel too clean, too pat. As it stands, the ending is just that. It’s to the script’s credit — as well as Raimi and the actors — that they manage to make such an odious character as Bradley actually sympathetic, and such a clear heroine as Linda so complex and thorny. Nothing’s perfect, but “Send Help” is a blast nevertheless.

‘Send Help’

3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for strong/bloody violence and language)

Running time: 1:53

How to watch: In theaters Jan. 30

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Ridder Arena was rocking Friday night when Molly Jordan scored in overtime for a 3-2 Gopher women’s hockey win over Wisconsin.

The Badgers quickly quieted a full house on Saturday afternoon.

Cassie Hall scored two of her three goals in the first period and Wisconsin went on to rout Minnesota 6-1. Edina’s Vivian Jungels added two goals. It’s the second-most goals allowed by the Gophers this season, trailing only a 7-2 loss on Nov. 1 at Wisconsin.

Chloe Primerano scored in the third period for Minnesota.

A weekend split was not surprising for a series between two of the top three teams in the country. Still, Saturday’s domination was shocking.

Wisconsin (24-2-2, 18-2-2 WCHA) is ranked No. 1, with its only losses coming to the third-ranked Gophers (23-5-0, 17-5-0), who had won 11 straight before Saturday.

It was clear early that streak would end.

Before the public address announcer could finish voicing a Minnesota penalty, the Badgers made it 1-0 with Hall scoring on a rebound 93 seconds into the game. In full control, the Badgers made it 2-0 midway through the frame when Jungels scored on a slap shot from low in the left circle.

A Minnesota turnover resulted in a 3-0 Wisconsin lead barely two minutes later when Hall and Kelly Gorbatenko perfectly converted a 2-on-0 opportunity.

The second period was no better for the home team.

Maggie Scannell, Hall and Jungels scored in the opening 12 minutes to make it 6-0, sending more than a few Minnesota fans to the exits.

One of the biggest rivalries in collegiate women’s hockey was played without top players from each squad who’ll be participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Minnesota was missing forwards Abbey Murphy (USA), Josefin Bouveng (Sweden) and Tereza Plosova (Czech Republic), and defender Nelli Laitinen (Finland).

Wisconsin was missing four players who’ll be wearing red, white and blue in Italy: defenders Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards, forward Kirsten Simms and goaltender Ava McNaughton. Forward Adéla Šapovalivová will represent the Czech Republic.

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SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A judge on Saturday ordered the U.S. government to release by Tuesday a 5-year-old boy and his father from a Texas detention center where they were taken after being detained by immigration officers in a Minneapolis suburb last month.

Images of Liam Conejo Ramos, with a bunny hat and Spiderman backpack being surrounded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers, sparked even more outcry about President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. It also led to a protest at the family detention center and a visit by two Texas Democratic members of Congress.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, said in his ruling that “the case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children.”

The same judge had previously ruled that the boy and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, could not be removed from the U.S., at least for now.

In his order Saturday, Biery said: “apparent also is the government’s ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence,” suggesting the Trump administration’s actions echo those that author and future President Thomas Jefferson enumerated as grievances against England.

Biery also included in his ruling a photo of Liam Conejo Ramos and references to two lines in the Bible: “Jesus said, ’Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,” and “Jesus Wept.”

Stephen Miller, the White House chief of staff for policy, has said there’s a target of 3,000 immigration arrests a day. It’s that figure which the judge seemed to describe as a “quota.”

Spokespersons from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officers in Minnesota used the preschooler as “bait” by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an “abject lie.” It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.

During the Jan. 28 visit with Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, the boy slept in the arms of his father, who said Liam was frequently tired and not eating well at the detention facility housing about 1,100 people, according to Castro.

Detained families report poor conditions like worms in food, fighting for clean water and poor medical care at the detention center since its reopening last year. In December, a report filed by ICE acknowledged they held about 400 children longer than the recommended limit of 20 days.

The annual Hudson Hot Air Affair festival returns next weekend with hot air balloons and winter events in Hudson, Wis.

The fun begins Friday night, Feb. 6, with a Torchlight Parade at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks.

The next morning, beginning at 7:35 a.m. Saturday, balloon launches are scheduled, weather permitting, at E.P. Rock Elementary School, with an afternoon launch slated for 3 p.m. A few hours later, from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m., the Moon Glow/Field of Fire event is scheduled.

Another balloon launch is scheduled for 7:35 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at the school.

Festivities on Saturday begin at 7 a.m. with a Masons Pancake Breakfast until noon; Octagon House Museum tours, a pet adoption event at Angel’s Pet World, and a marketplace and craft fair at E.P. Rock school from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In addition, there will be a Smoosh Board Competition, a prize drop fundraiser for the St. Croix Valley Food Bank, a bean bag tournament, the St. Croix River Dunk at Lakefront Park and booster club bingo.

On Sunday, a breakfast will be held at Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse and there will be a free kids ice fishing event from 1 to 3 p.m. at Perch Lake with prizes.

The weekend also includes an Eat-Shop-Play promotion featuring specials at Hudson-area businesses, a scavenger hunt with prizes, and the Battle of the Beverages & Bites, where participants can vote for their favorite food and drink specials for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate.

Go to HudsonHotAirAffair.com for more information.

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