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The Running Man Review
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
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Directed By: Edgar Wright
Written By: Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright; Based on the book by Stephen King
Runtime: 133 minutes
MPA Rating: Rated R for strong violence, some gore, and language
Glen Powell – Ben Richards
Josh Brolin – Dan Killian
Colman Domingo – Bobby “Bobby T” Thompson
Jayme Lawson – Sheila Richards
Emilia Jones – Amelia Williams
Michael Cera – Elton Parrakis
Daniel Ezra – Bradley Thockmorton
Lee Pace – McCone
Katy O’Brian – Laughlin
Martin Herlihy – Jansky
William H. Macy – Molie Jernigan
George Carroll – Agent Dugg
Edgar Wright revisits the Stephen King sci-fi dystopia, The Running Man, with a new cinematic attempt. King’s book was first adapted to the big screen in the widely derided 1980s action romp starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wright opts for a more faithful interpretation of King’s original 1982 novel, and although the film’s heart seems to be in the right place, Wright cannot quite find his cinematic voice here, ending with a flawed, workmanlike take.
Wright’s lack of cohesion proves disappointing, since it’s now as good a time as any to revisit King’s book, which plays on current political fears permeating the societal zeitgeist. Ironically, King’s novel is set in 2025, which could have strengthened the satirical elements.
Paying closer fealty to the novel’s premise, Glen Powell stars as the honest, yet hard-luck, blue-collar working Joe, Ben Richards. Ben has been blacklisted and put out of work for corporate whistle-blowing and standing up for his fellow workers’ rights. He and his wife, Sheila (Lawson), are struggling to make ends meet with a sick two-year-old daughter at home, who needs medicine or she might not make it through the week.
Ben and Sheila live in the dystopic future hell-scape of Co-op City. The United States is now under a strict authoritarian rule, where the mega corporations control everything. Only the mega-rich can afford more comfortable, luxurious lives, while the lower classes must endure hazardous slums, where living conditions have become almost intolerable. The youth and younger generations, like Ben’s daughter, grow violently sick and deathly ill from the hazardous materials the mega corps make for profits.
Televised entertainment has grown even more barbarous and inhumane, with popular television shows like “The Running Man,” where real people sign up to get hunted down like animals in the name of crass entertainment. They hope to earn some real cash, or at least, get a quick taste of how the upper classes live before going out in a blaze of glory. With the family’s livelihood backed into a corner, Ben enters tryouts for the Network’s deadly game shows. In a sadly inevitable twist of fate, he’s scouted for The Running Man by its serpent-like executive producer, Dan Killian (Brolin), who earns Richards’ signature using the hard sell.
Under the game’s rules, Richards must survive The Running Man challenge for thirty days to earn a grand prize of one billion new dollars [emblazoned with the image of one former California governor], where ruthless hunters seek to track him down and eliminate him with extreme prejudice. Contact with human civilians is a bad idea because they can earn quick cash by submitting verified reports of his whereabouts.
Richards can still earn cash for every hour he survives and for every hunter or soldier pursuing him that he kills. It’s a pretty sick twisted game, demanding people kill each other in a fight to the death, all to the delight of a bloodthirsty viewing public. Richards must record daily video messages and mail them to the Network, or risk disqualification. However, even the relatively simple task of walking to the drone-powered postal delivery box is a potential death sentence because Ben risks himself to an unforgiving public who would sell him out for scraps.
Despite the Killian stacking the odds against him, and an entire country waiting with bated breath for his imminent death, Richards seeks to fight against his poorly dealt hand and hopes to reunite with his family. Despite Killian, the Network, and charismatic Running Man host Bobby T (Domingo) twisting and deep-faking Richards’ candid messages of support for the downtrodden, his fighting spirit inspires the impoverished masses. Perhaps Richards’ exploits can inspire the disenfranchised populace to believe in the power of one, or perhaps, he’s mere cannon fodder in a brutal, unforgiving system rigged against him.
Workman-like best describes Wright’s effort with The Running Man. The movie looks relatively solid and well-made. The performances are solid, but the film misses those intangible elements to make the project truly soar. In adapting King’s source material, Wright fails to fully commit to his usual trademark style, strong pacing, and wit.
A story like The Running Man seems rife for some strong satire, but the attempts at sci-fi social commentary and satire lack Wright’s strong sense of humor or any bite. The film frequently cuts to people watching a popular in-universe reality show called “The Americanos,” a clear stand-in for The Kardashians. The narrative makes the gag obvious, but the interludes lack genuine humor.
The Running Man appears more like Wright wanted to make something different from his usual style, which, on some level, is understandable. Making a film that deviates from the norm is probably something Wright artistically strived for and found making The Running Man challenging. This results in the movie losing Wright’ss strong sense of style, panache, humor, and pizzazz that typically permeate his other films.
The Running Man comes off like a limp, albeit mostly faithful, adaptation of King’s novel. For the most part, the film covers the main beats of the story and characters, but the final product struggles to adapt the original book and stay true to its themes, while also crafting a compelling cinematic experience.
Sadly, Glen Powell turns in a flawed performance as Ben Richards. Powell’s recent popularity is understandable due to his strikingly handsome visage, undeniable charisma, and bona fide movie-star presence; and therein lies the problem.
Powell does not genuinely resemble a working-class everyman who lives in the slums and has toiled away working under the boot of mega corporations. He looks too fit, clean-cut, and sharp to pull that off. Ben Richards should be an everyman who becomes a folk hero, but Wright went for traditional movie-star looks.
Powell generally performs well in the more physical action-heavy scenes, but in the more personal scenes with his family, where he morally espouses the plight of the working-class proletariat, his performance and dialogue appear forced, lacking authenticity and sincerity. His performance is not necessarily a classic case of Hollywood miscasting, but the way it plays out in the theatrical version misses the mark.
Unfortunately, Wright’s script, which he co-wrote with Michael Bacall, falls apart in the final act. The ending of the original novel is a tough one to pull off, especially with society’s changes in the forty-plus years since the book was published. The final act unravels into a clunky mess, culminating in a disappointing ending, where Wright struggles to rectify the novel’s bleak style versus creating a satisfying cinematic experience for moviegoers in 2025.
Without getting into the nitty-gritty, Wright’s theatrical ending appears disjointed, as if he wanted to create something more ambiguously triumphant and satisfying. It’s interesting how, for most of the film, Wright stays relatively faithful to the book but fumbles the hardest at the end.
It would not be the least bit surprising that Wright struggled the hardest with the ending in the editing room because the final act looks rough and likely hacked apart due to reshoots and focus group testing. Perhaps The Running Man required a more assured director who could nail bleak sci-fi cynicism with aplomb.
Wright’s work as a director usually exudes a confident vision, but The Running Man exhibits a wavering style. The ending creates a sense of confusion and uncertainty, rather than stronger feelings on either side of the emotional spectrum.
Where To Watch The Running Man
The Running Man releases in theaters, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Premium Large Format, and IMAX on November 7. Ticket and showtime details are available at the movie’s website.
