The Running Man
The Running Man is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated R. Common Sense says 16+
A man (Glen Powell) joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by "hunters" hired to kill them.
STORY: C+
Stay alive. Save the world.
Ben Richards isn’t asking for the world. He wants a job. He wants his wife to quit her job at a seedy lounge. He wants to buy the meds that can save his daughter. He reluctantly joins the Running Man.
What starts as a Hail Mary attempt at saving his family slowly morphs into something much more interesting. As Richards meets others writhing under the government’s oppressive thumb, an opportunity to expose the corruption of the government and the “Network” arises.
Raising the stakes in this way throughout the film keeps the story from becoming repetitive, deepening its resonance.
PEOPLE: B
Powell is a Hollywood throwback.
What a time to be Glen Powell. He’s working in a cinematic ecosystem that lacks traditional “Movie Star” talent while it’s constantly kicking the tires of every 80s and 90s classic to see if they’ve got any more mileage in them - movies that need traditional “Movie Stars.”
Powell seems custom made for the role of “everyman” Ben Richards. You buy that he can hold his own against a hired goon, but you can also imagine him as your next door neighbor flipping burgers on the grill wearing an apron that says, “Kiss the chef!”. His down to earth quality and charm is essential to the film’s success.
Josh Brolin is deliciously malicious in his role as The Running Man’s showrunner. Sadly, Colman Domingo isn’t given much to do other than vamp in the ravishing manner only he can.
FILM NERD STUFF: B
Bookend shots reveal the theme.
The film opens with Ben Richards gazing out the window at a blurry hellscape. As the image comes into focus, we see it’s actually the factory floor where he used to work.
At the end of the film, another character sees a very similar image. This time, it is indeed a hellscape.
Tying the two images together and looking at them as symbols of both destruction and aspiration unlocks volumes of meaning.
ONE BIG LESSON: B-
Turn this TV off.
As his final escape plans crumble around him, Richards finally fully grasps the Network’s playbook: Get everyone to hate each other, and while they’re fighting in the muck, steal everything.
It’s the same playbook we see social media using today. Hopefully, we’ll wake up and tune out before we all find ourselves running for our own lives.
FINAL COMMENTS:
The Running Man is a good action flick. The elaborate set pieces are electric and well executed. Glen Powell is wonderful, and the premise is solid. I recommend it.
However, I get the feeling that the filmmakers believe its timely message elevates it from a good action flick to a great one. I’d disagree.
While the film’s message is important and timely, it doesn’t feel as urgent as it did when Stephen King wrote the original story in 1984. Since then, many excellent stories (The Hunger Games, Squid Game, The Purge, to name just a few) have held up a mirror to our society and revealed the dangers of institutions using violence to control the populace.
Since our world (at least through the lens of social media) seems to resemble this dystopia more and more each day, perhaps we’re at the stage where we’re looking for answers instead of mere acknowledgement.