“The Running Man” is the second big screen adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel of the same name. As many know, the first was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 action thriller, set in the distant future of 2017. This latest version of King’s dystopian sci-fi comes from Edgar Wright, although his fans might have trouble finding his fingerprints. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there. But it feels much more like a studio product than a filmmaker’s unique vision.
The greatest strength of “The Running Man” is easy to spot. We find it in its star, Glen Powell. The suddenly everywhere man exudes charisma and throws in touches of manic charm that make the film easy to watch. He’s also an actor who fully commits to his films, which makes everything better, from emotional family moments to wild and crazy action set pieces. Yet while Powell gets the job done, he can’t make up for the frustrating storyline that vacillates between entertaining and rather boring.
Taking more inspiration from King’s novel than Arnie’s film, “The Running Man” 2025 sees Wright lean more into the dystopian setting, filling his story with as many sociopolitical issues as possible. The healthcare system, class division, wealth gaps, corporate corruption, unions, misinformation in the media, violence on television, authoritarian control, government propaganda, and much more. There is a lot to cover and most of it has to be lip service rather than valid considerations.
Powell plays Ben Richards, a loving but frustrated husband and father. He was recently fired from his job at a steel mill for antagonizing his crooked employers by exposing a potentially deadly but costly occupational hazard. At home, his 2-year-old daughter came down with the flu, leading Ben’s wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson), to work two jobs and two jobs in hopes of being able to afford medicine. It’s a brutal situation that adds fuel to Ben’s already burning fury who just wants to take care of his precious family.
Desperate for money, Ben travels to the upper-class neighborhood to compete in one of the many reality game shows hosted by a corporate media organization called The Network. He was offered a spot on their most popular and dangerous show, “The Running Man.” It is a violent and deadly event in which competitors known as “runners” are released into the city. They attempt to stay alive for thirty days while popular “hunters” hunt them down to kill them in front of a television audience. Any runner who can survive the thirty days will win a billion “new dollars”. Of course, no one ever won.
To add incentive, racers can earn bonus “new bucks” by killing hunters. But what further adds to the danger is that citizens who spot the runners can win cash prizes if they report their whereabouts. So Ben and two disposable runners are released into the city, concluding what is a really solid setup for the story. The early scenes are aided by several entertaining supporting characters. Specifically, Josh Brolin’s fun and sleazy Dan Killian, the show’s creator and producer, and Colman Domingo as the show’s flamboyant host.
From there, “The Running Man” falls into a fairly straightforward formula as Ben is guided from one action set piece to another. At each stop, he is aided by a sympathetic soul who helps pave the way for him to become a reluctant revolutionary who will lead the fight against the oppressive system. Unfortunately, his unexpected allies add more to the sociopolitical landscape than advance the story in any meaningful way.
Among Ben’s new allies is Bradley Throckmorton (Daniel Ezra), an underground influencer who secretly posts videos revealing the truth about “The Running Man.” Ben also meets Elton Parrakis (Michael Cera), an eccentric guerrilla who is secretly building his own solo revolution against The Network. Then there’s Amelia (Emilia Jones), a 37-year-old real estate agent who comes out of nowhere. None are particularly important pieces of history aside from reciting protest monologues and adding a bit of humor.
Wright drags things out a little too long before finally wrapping up with a cobbled together ending that doesn’t quite provide the payoff it needs. It’s a shame because the action scenes are a lot of fun and Powell brings more than enough to be entertaining. But “The Running Man” remains stuck between an overloaded theme and a fun action romp, while lacking that extra spice we’ve come to expect from Edgar Wright films.
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