REVIEW — “The Running Man”

Based on the 1982 novel by Stephen King (written under the pen name of Richard Bachman) which was itself adapted into the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger-led actioner, this version of The Running Man is crafted by visionary director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Baby Driver).

The eclectic director brings his signature slick action and comedic wit to King’s source material, creating a gritty, near-future society controlled by corporate greed, class warfare and media manipulation. In this oppressive dystopia, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward.

Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the final game of the season as a last resort chance to win $1 billion for his family. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system.

As producer on the sci-fi action comedy, Powell gets to stretch his acting, and action, legs a bit. Playing somewhat against his usual nice guy persona, the leading man-of-the-moment stars as an angry and audacious family man with a huge chip on his shoulder. It’s a refreshing change of pace for Powell, a likeable everyman who usually adopts a cocky-but-cool, cowboy swagger. And the film benefits from his rightfully edgy take on the character. When the entire system is rigged against him, he should be royally pissed.

The film features outrageous, non-stop action and incredible stunts that help The Running Man maintain its enduring pace. However, there are a few hurdles that the film fails to overcome. One is the lack of emotional connection to any of Powell’s sprawling cast of supporting characters. While we absolutely love to hate Brolin as the show’s devilish producer and Coleman Domingo is wonderfully outlandish as The Running Man’s flamboyant host, back on the homefront, the only connection we have to Ben’s (stripper?) wife (Jayme Lawson) is through their ill daughter.

As if that’s not enough, the two characters drafted to run alongside Richards are severely underwritten and one-dimensional. Played by Katy O’Brian and Martin Herlihy, these “runners” don’t actually run. Instead, they walk around carefree like they’re not being hunted by ruthless killers. The wastes of space only serve to provide a few half baked jokes and buy Richards time by keeping the hunters preoccupied. Pointless.

The appearance of Michael Cera as Richards’ goon-hating ally is similarly perplexing. While his scenes triggering booby traps like a murderous Kevin McAllister are entertainingly funny, his mother’s presence is absolutely grating. Their entire inclusion adds a goofier tone shift that feels forced.

The film takes on another, more high-stakes and dramatic turn when carjacking victim Amelia (Emilia Jones) enters the film in the last act as Richards goes on the offense to battle the corrupt ruling class that encourages the nation’s bloodlust. The fantastic Lee Pace also has a large but underutilized role as lead hunter McCone, but his face is covered for a majority of the film, so it can be easy to forget he’s in this.

However, the film’s biggest insult is William H. Macy’s underdeveloped role as Richard’s former mentor. More stakes could have been mined from his presence, which is really no more than a brief cameo, but, like other characters in the film, lacks enough screentime to leave you wondering if the film underwent massive rewrites or had chunks edited out and left on the cutting room floor.

With subtle callbacks and Easter Eggs, the film casually reminds us that we are racing through the greater Stephen King universe. For example, at one point Richards ends up hiding out in an abandoned section of Derry, Maine — the setting of King’s book “IT” and the current HBO Max series, Welcome to Derry.

Ultimately, The Running Man is mayhem with a message: to turn off the noise and focus on what’s important. But if Wright’s imagined world of ruthless overlords and bloodthirsty mobs is meant to wake us up to the fact that we’re being manipulated and lied to, then he’s a little late to the party. In our current era of political cruelty, manipulated divisiveness and reality competition shows like Squid Game, it could seem like we are not far from a desensitized state that supports such depraved, voyeuristic torture-porn.

The film is indeed a fun ride and strong middle finger to that type of oppressive regime, but sometimes it’s good to get away from all that instead of getting all fired up. So if you’re coming to The Running Man for a sense of escapism from what’s happening in the world right now, then it’s probably better if you take the film’s advice and just keep moving. Otherwise, let the film serve as a rallying cry to get you angry enough to fight back against what’s holding you down, at least while you still have a chance. 3/5

Rated R with a running time of 2 hours and 13 minutes, The Running Man opens only in theaters on November 14, 2025.