The Running Man
If, like me, you have a nostalgic attachment to the Arnold Schwarzenegger action adaptation of Richard Bachman (aka, Stephen King)’s dystopian novella, why would you want to see a new adaptation of the text? Well, the allure of it being directed by Edgar Wright- of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” fame- is one thing. The film being another stop in the elevation of Glen Powell into a movie star is part of it, and him having to go against the likes of Coleman Domingo and Josh Brolin. There’s a lot of potential in this film- does it work on its own?
Earlier this year, in our Fascism in Cinema series, we discussed the 1987 film when it comes to the idea of the police state and authoritarian violence. In the movie, the titular TV show is entertainment for the masses where three criminals are set forth into a maze and “stalkers” hunt them down and kill them. Violence as spectacle for the masses, in hopes that they don’t consider the inequalities of the time in which they live in, is an idea that goes back to ancient Rome, and has been explored in entertainment such as “Battle Royale” and “The Hunger Games,” as well. Here, the thrill of the hunt remains, but it’s not about getting rid of hardened criminals, but preying on the needs of the poor. Powell’s Ben Richards isn’t a former soldier in prison for disobeying an unlawful order, but a father struggling to get his sick daughter the medical care she needs. That’s a pretty powerful motivator, especially when winning might mean his daughter never has to live like Ben and his wife (Jayme Lawson) have.
Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall understand where the heart of this material lies- this is a story about the haves using violence as a way of keeping the have nots subjugated, and not thinking about the ways in which the system screws them and manipulates them. One of the most fascinating, and prescient, things about the 1987 movie was how we see video footage manipulated for the purpose of propaganda and “fake news.” In an era of deep fakes and AI, that hits too close to home, and as Richards tries to survive for 30 days in this new version, it’s still a big part of the way Dan Killian (played here by a greasy Josh Brolin)- the head of the company that airs The Running Man- manipulates his audience against the runners. There are revolutionaries in this one, as well, who help Richards along the way, and the way that Wright imagines this story’s ideas in a way that would resonate with modern audiences is a big part of why I really dug this film.
While I would have taken this being closer to the ’87 film’s 100 minutes rather than an excessive 133 minutes, “The Running Man” 2025 delivers as action film, satire, dark comedy and one guy kicking all sorts of ass. I’m not sure if Powell is the best choice for this Richards- he excels when he’s playing guys with considerable ego and energy- but I love what he brings to the role. As the on camera host of The Running Man, Domingo is great at selling the narrative that Killian wants the audience to believe. This movie ended up entertaining me bigly, even if it- like its cinematic predecessor- is more empty calories than in depth social commentary. There’s enough to that to keep us watching, though.
