The Running Man info:
Director: Edgar Wright
Writer: Stephen King, Michael Bacall, and Edgar Wright
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, and Colman Domingo
Hello and welcome to another week here at 1guysmindlessmoviereviews.com. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and hopefully you’re still eating some leftovers like we are here in the Mindless household. Now it’s time to turn our attention to December and the Holiday season that is to come.
But we don’t want to run too fast because first, I need to discuss “The Running Man” this week. I mentioned last week that I had already seen it, so it’s sat in my head for a week, so hopefully I didn’t forget anything. As usual, though, before I get started, let me get the spoiler warning out of the way. If you haven’t seen this yet and don’t want to know what happens, I suggest you click here and return to check out the other reviews I have available. For everyone else, let’s continue.
“The Running Man” was directed by Edgar Wright, who has some pretty fun movies on his directing resume. “Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”, and “Baby Driver” are just three of my favorites. This one doesn’t quite live up to those, nor does it to the original Running Man from 1987. It definitely has better graphics, and the story is more grounded and lifelike, but it just didn’t resonate with me in the same way, in my opinion.
In this version of “The Running Man”, Ben Richards is played by Powell. Ben and his wife Cathy (Alyssa Benn) are struggling to make ends meet in this post-apocalyptic action-adventure. When attempts to get his job back fail, he is forced to try out for a reality-based television program to get some fast money for their sick child. Thinking he would just make a little bit of extra, they ended up wanting to run “The Running Man” where he could make billions.
He quickly learns that it’s all a big scam as they make up lies about him to sell their show. They make fake videos and AI-generated content to push what they want across the screen. It’s all hosted by Bobby T (Domingo) and run by Dan Killian (Brolin) as the world watches these people run for their lives and get killed on national television. The race starts as Richards and two other runners, Laughlin (Katy O’Brian) and Herlihy (Tim Jansky), leave the starting line.
One important thing to remember here is that we are told that the record is 29 days lasted out of the possible 30. If anyone makes it 30 days, they win the show and get all the money. Naturally, Richards lasts the longest of these three runners, but things slowly become harder and harder for him as he progresses. Even getting help from his old friend Molie (William H. Macy) and a new eccentric acquaintance, Elton (Michael Cera), doesn’t prolong his game much.
After more than two weeks on the run, he is trapped on day 16. Personally, this is when I think “The Running Man” falls apart. Richards comes up with some big, elaborate scheme to fake his way through some roadblocks and get onto Killian’s private jet. Only to find out that he was allowed to do that because they wanted him to. It seems that the guy who has been hunting him is also the same guy who made it 29 days. He was paid off to fake his death so he could become a hunter instead of a runner.
I know Richards did a great job, but they had him dead to rights a few times just to let him live to offer him a job similar to the guy that made it 29 days… even though he only made it 16. That’s why I’m confused. Seems like a waste to have Richards kill your best hunter, knowing he was so reluctant to follow any orders anyway.
Anyway, in the end, he refuses (of course), fakes his death, and tries to turn the world against the network that tried to kill him. I am a Stephen King fan, and I really liked the original “The Running Man” in ’87. I was looking forward to this, but was slightly disappointed in the final product. Some very good action scenes, some humor (especially from Cera), and a very unnecessary scene of Powell wearing nothing but a towel while hanging from a building… unless you’re into that sort of thing, of course.
Overall, it was fun, but it fell flat with the story they decided to tell. The movie really did need an update and could have been made more like the old one and still been great. However, the action ends with a sort of a dud, and because of that, I can’t give this any more than a 6 out of 10.
Watch or wait?
Normally, I would tell you to “run” out and see this sort of movie now so you can get the full experience, but if you’re like me, then you can probably just wait for it to become available on a streaming service. I do wonder what people will think about his one if they haven’t seen the old one.
Ok, that’s it for me this week. But now it’s your turn. Have you seen “The Running Man” yet? If so, what did you think? Are you a fan of the original, or are you coming into this blind? I am curious to know what the different viewpoints are. Alright, I hope everyone has a great rest of the week, and I will be back with a magical, mindless movie review next week.
