The Running Man, I don’t know if this is a movie that needed to be remade, but I’m glad somebody did and with Edgar Wright at the helm. The original version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a bad movie, but didn’t really stick to the source material. This version is more closely aligned with the Stephen King novel and that’s a good thing. Plus, this is the perfect sci-fi/ dystopian movie that should be remade with better technology and graphics to really tell a great story. I enjoyed the movie. It is very much a popcorn flick. It’s not some deep-thinking movie where you’re going to have philosophical discussions about politics, but it does give a timely commentary of how much influence billion-dollar corporations have in our everyday lives. But unlike dystopian movies where you were bail against the government like V for Vendetta, this is just a pure action flick where one man “flips off” society and the company trying to script his destiny. The book is certainly much better and delves into those philosophical antidotes that you would expect from a dystopian movie. Although, The Running Man is not a bad movie, just pure fun with a great lead actor who is quickly becoming a list movie star. Glen Powell very much makes this his movie proving that he can’t be a movie star without being in a Tom Cruise movie.
The basic story if you are not familiar with the Running Man is about a blue-collar worker who’s been blacklisted from various companies and can’t find work. When his daughter needs medical attention, he volunteers for the highest rated and most dangerous game show where you are hunted for 30 days to make some money. With a chance to win a billion dollars, he signs up and takes the risk only to find out that nothing is what it seems. Is the game show rigged, you can watch the movie and find out. But here is what makes this movie fun to watch. Glen Powell certainly has a magnetism that easily comes across the big screen. He’s likable and his character is easy to root for. You have great villains you’ve got some of the best action sequences you can find in movies. They don’t feel so over the top that they’re not believable. The film’s style is fantastic and you very much get this Blade Runner / Fifth Element vibe that makes the movie work on many levels. From one big chase and escape to the next, you will stay on the edge of your seat and be highly entertained until the very end. That’s the good news and that’s what makes this movie worth watching in the theaters.
The bad news, It’s predictable. It’s not hard to figure out what’s going to happen in the end, but that doesn’t really matter because you’ll still be entertained. As good as Glen Powell is in the main role and as diabolical Josh Brolin’s character may be, there’s not many surprises, but their performances more than make up for a predictable movie. I love Edgar Wright, he’s a brilliant filmmaker, But I don’t feel like this is his best work compared to films like Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead, or Hot Fuzz. His flare for great dialogue and really funny one-liners is evident in the film, but this is just a simple action film, like something we would have seen in the ’80s where it feels like we’ve seen this before. He does make the better version of The Running Man, I’ll give him that, but he’s also made better films. There are moments that it feels like a Fast and the Furious movie where it’s just mindless action and no heart. And I think my biggest complaint is Lee Pace as an actor is underutilized. He’s a phenomenal actor even when he’s playing a villain and he’s too one dimensional in this movie, which is a shame with his acting caliber. But like a great actor, he’s brilliant in every scene despite the writing.
The Running Man is not the best movie of the year. As I said it’s just a fun popcorn flag with entertaining performances. If you are Stephen King fan and you were disappointed in the Arnold Schwarzenegger version, then you may enjoy this one more. And even though this film will not inspire any great philosophical discussion about government and big business, it will still entertain you and offer plenty of laughs. There’s almost a satirical nature about the over-the-top action and performances, and that’s kind of what Stephen King was going for in the original book. However, make no mistake about it, Glen Powell is a fantastic movie star on the same level as Tom Cruise and he can easily carry a movie. As much as we might love his character in Twisters the year before… he’s even better in this movie. The verdict, yes, The Running Man is worth seeing in the theater just for the pure fun of watching a great action movie. You will be entertained and its certainly better than some of the movies that came out this year like Tron: Ares. That may be the best thing The Running Man has going for it when it comes to a science fiction action movie. At least the script wasn’t ruined by lazy and crappy storytelling that doesn’t make any sense.
