THE RUNNING MAN: REVIEW OF THE LATEST STEPHEN KING ADAPTATION

Imagining a world divided by partisanship and capitalism doesn’t take that much effort nowadays. That’s what makes Edgar Wright’s futuristic action film ‘The Running Man’ hit so close to home. ‘The Running Man,’ based on Stephen King’s book of the same name, targets the established elite and the misinformation used to divide society. That, luckily for us, is not a bridge too far as Wright mostly sticks the landing with a fun action action-packed, survival romp. It’s not short of its flaws, and it gets in its own way from time to time, but for the most part, the film was a joy to experience in an IMAX theater.

Down on his luck, out of work, and with a sick kid at home, anger management candidate Ben Richards tries out for the deadly game show, ‘The Running Man.’ The Goal: Survive for 30 days, while everyone in the United States tries to hunt you down. What ensues is an entertaining popcorn flick that takes you from car chases to plane crashes. The set pieces were a whole lot of fun and kept me on the edge of my seat. Creating a really fun afternoon at the movies, ‘The Running Man’ found the perfect mix of action and heart.

As much as ‘The Running Man’ does right, it still manages to get in its own way from time to time. Suffering from a lackluster finish and going back to the well too many times on the nostalgia, the film stumbles when it really didn’t need to. Act I and Act II fly by at a breakneck pace. Act III felt like the film had just run out of gas. It needed just a bit more for the ending to really hit. ‘The Running Man’ is also very obviously a nod to 80s and 90s action movies. The one-liners and shot angles it was all there. This made ‘The Running Man’ feel, at times, like an action movie in an action movie, almost like a 2025 ‘Last Action Hero.’ While that accounts for some of the charm, it also became distracting. ‘The Running Man’ works best when it’s making subtle nods to the action films it seeks to emulate and keeps the intensity up, not so much when it loses sight of what made it special in the first place.

What truly makes ‘The Running Man’ a fun film is the cast. There was a ton of chemistry and a ton of fun was had on set. Glenn Powell is a certified action star. He’s also an every an. Powell evokes John McClain. You’re an average person in an above-average situation. The two stars of the show, however, are Colman Domingo and Michael Cera. Domingo embodies the role of Bobby T with a cocky bravado that you would find in a game show host. Cera, however, as Elton Perrakis, the unhinged rebel leader, is perfectly cast. He had me rolling. I loved it. Featuring another villain turn from Josh Brolin as the ratings-motivated executive, Dan Killian, and a cameo from the legendary William H. Macy, the cast is absolutely packed.

Wright doesn’t shy away from the commentary on economic disparity and class struggle that accompanies ‘The Running Man,’ a calling card of the source material. People are driven apart by those in power using misinformation and class warfare. It’s all there. The product placement and reality TV shows were a nice touch and brought another comical touch to a film that’s pretty comical throughout. While very on the nose, but in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way that is indicative of an Edgar Wright film, ‘The Running Man’ satirized a world that feels all too familiar, adding heart and a level of immediacy to the edge-of-your-seat action romp.
Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man’ is an action-packed, thrill ride of a throwback to action films past. Wearing its flaws on its sleeve, the film takes you on a breakneck race against time that you’re going to want to go on more than once.

‘The Running Man’ is NOW PLAYING in Theaters Everywhere.

Rating:7/10