A man joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by “hunters” hired to kill them.
When I heard they were remaking “The Running Man” with Edgar Wright at the helm, the thought of a dystopian thriller-satire with his trademark style made the movie instantly top my watchlist. Honestly, I’m still waiting for that movie.
Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a father struggling to make ends meet for his wife and sick daughter after being blacklisted from employment for sticking his neck out for co-workers. Powell has everyman appeal, Tom Cruise-esque matinee idol charisma, and a deep-seated rage toward his oppressors. His grit and survival skills make him the perfect choice to compete on the deadly THE RUNNING MAN reality TV show, where he and two other contestants must outrun a squad of trained assassins for 30 days to win a billion-dollar prize.
If you came for a solid chase movie, you won’t be disappointed – the stylish chase sequences deliver on the promises made in the trailer. The supporting cast is all stellar, particularly Colman Domingo as Bobby “Bobby T” Thompson, the trash-talking host of THE RUNNING MAN TV show, and Josh Brolin (doing his best Vince McMahon impression) as producer Dan Killian, but the movie suffers under the weight of excessive amounts of plot.
The near-future dystopian setting doesn’t feel as far removed from real life as it should. As a commentary on worker exploitation, livestreamed atrocities, and state-sponsored violence, “The Running Man” simply isn’t mean-spirited enough. There’s nothing in this movie that isn’t already happening in America. It’s not any bleaker than the world we live in today.
The message of Edgar Wright’s new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel is simple: the exploited masses must recognize their shared struggle and rise against the hyper-rich oppressors who profit off their hard work. The final product is just too tedious to bring that to life.
While “The Running Man” is ultimately toothless as a satire, it’s still a fun popcorn flick. I just wish it bit a little harder.
In Theaters Friday, November 14th
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