Stephen King adaptations have had quite a year in terms of films like The Long Walk, and now The Running Man is at the forefront. Edgar Wright directs this mostly faithful take on King’s novel that is both modern and entertaining.
The 80s film is a pure action-packed flick that hit on the cheesiness of the times with Arnold Schwarzenegger on a roll with his leading star power. In the latest version, it is Glen Powell who is our main hero and the movie kind of hits close to home with its awareness of capitalism taking over government activities as well as the social divide in society.
Just like the original, Powell plays Ben Richards, a family man who is struggling to make ends meet for his wife and child in a dystopian America. With every job he takes, he ends up getting fired due to his morals for his fellow workers when it comes to wages.
With no choice, Richards decides to compete in a deadly competition known as The Running Man where he would win $1 billion if he survives for 30 days. The only catch is that everyone around the country is in on the game and can gain money if they find him and report him.
On top of that, there are hunters hired by the network to hunt and kill him on sight. Think of it like a dangerous take on The Amazing Race.
What works in this adaptation is the tone and atmosphere. The movie captures the satire of capitalism perfectly with its ad placement and often times makes fun of it. This is basically viral marketing in modern society, which is close to what our society is heading towards.
There are also times when it gets into darker territory with the tone due to the violent deaths that happen on screen. It mostly works, but sometimes it can be uneven when juggling some of the humor of the things that Richards does to survive in the competition.
The action set pieces are as death-defying as the film’s premise. There are many chases that take place between Powell’s character and the hunters that chase him, including number one assassin known as Evan McCone (Lee Pace).
There are also some stunts involving Powell, where he performs most of it. Just a perfect showcase of what the actor can deliver on screen.
Speaking of Powell, he further proves to be leading man material with every project. He continues to give a serious performance on screen while also being funny with his charisma.
The same can be said with Colman Domingo, who plays the flamboyant and entertaining game show host Bobby T, who provides his own commentary to the audience giving the play-by-play of the contestants competing.
Josh Brolin also gives it his all playing the villainous network executive behind The Running Man. Even with his limited screen time, he makes the most use of his presence as the menacing producer pulling the strings to make Richards a hateful face for the crowd to root against.
His scheming to make better ratings just mirrors the many corporate heads looking to make a fortune on shows to become hits based on what they think audiences want to see.
Other cast members also get their spotlight with the limited screen time they are given. Lee Pace as the number one hunter on Richards’ tail shows how hellbent he is to get the job done.
Katy O’Brien also gets some time to shine as fellow competitor Laughlin, showing off her wild side as she tries to evade the hunters with her public facade. Jayme Lawson is given a small role, but enough to leave an impression as the emotional core of the film playing Richards’ wife Sheila as he fights for their future.
In reality, its mostly what happens behind-the-scenes of these competition shows that glues our audience. The theme of capitalism and exposing the truth is what heavily drives the ideas behind the film. Wright brings them to the forefront in an entertaining way that audiences can understand.
The production design really makes this version of America almost seem like it hits close to home. It shows many of the vehicles and advertising as well as reality TV feel just similar enough to display America’s obsession with these programs. It almost seems a little closer to what may happen if this trend continues down that path.
The Running Man is an entertaining action flick that delivers on its premise and gives enough charm to be an enjoyable experience. The cast’s performance led by Powell gives enough to offer audiences a fun time watching on the big screen. Wright gives a fresh take on King’s book for a new audience that still leaves an impact with its dark themes that remain relevant in this digital age.
The Running Man is now playing in theaters.
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Mufsin Mahbub
Mufsin Mahbub is a TV and film fanatic who loves all things superhero, sci-fi, horror, and mystery. Outside of writing, he enjoys traveling, gaming, and watching some anime.