‘The Running Man’ sprints to the finish

By Jesse Burchill

Staff Writer

Ronnie Chiu-Lin / THE GATEPOST

By Jesse Burchill

Staff Writer

Released on Nov. 14, “The Running Man” is the second adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel after the 1987 version that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell, the film is set in a future where society is dominated by poverty and bread-and-circuses-style television, and the corporation the Network owns the police and the media.

Our protagonist Ben Richards enters the competition reality show “The Running Man,” run by the Network, where he must survive 30 days while being chased across the country by both highly trained mercenaries and ordinary citizens. 

The prize is 1 billion New Dollars, which Ben can use to get himself, his wife, and his daughter out of poverty and afford his daughter’s medical treatment.

Glen Powell is a convincing leading man as Ben Richards, and he sells Ben’s anger at the world in general very well throughout. The juxtaposition between his joining “The Running Man” for his family and the public’s growing perception of him as the face of the revolution against the Network provides a very interesting character dynamic, especially since the 1987 movie did not include his family. 

Furthermore, the daily recordings he has to submit to the show as a Runner helps us see into his character as the movie goes on and he becomes more and more accepting of his role in the revolution.

Colman Domingo as Bobby T., the host of “The Running Man,” hams it up to 11 in pretty much every scene he’s in, and proves to be one of the most memorable characters. He’s every trope about an energetic game show host rolled into one, and the setting he works in lets him stand out even more.

Josh Brolin stars as Dan Killian, the CEO of the Network and the mastermind of “The Running Man.” He’s more of a passive, behind-the-scenes presence than in the 1987 adaptation, where he took up Bobby T.’s role as the show’s host. But he still has a permeating presence throughout the movie as a chilling, cold, and calculating manipulator and controller, in particular thanks to Brolin’s performance.

Michael Cera in the supporting role of Elton was one of my favorite characters despite his brief screen time. Cera is largely respected as a comedy actor, but manages to successfully play his dramatic chops as Ben’s ally while still having his funny moments, especially in regards to his father’s conflict with the Network when they took over the police force in Derry. 

Lee Pace features as McCone, the show’s top hunter. Pace’s performance as the character is quite intimidating, even in spite of wearing a mask for most of his screentime, and McCone’s character is particularly nuanced as revealed in the plane sequence where his background and role on the show are expanded upon.

However, McCone is also the only one of the hunters to get much character depth. While they all move as a military unit, making them comparatively more intimidating than in the 1987 version, McCone’s fellow hunters feel practically interchangeable, which is a shame given how bombastically over-the-top their 1987 counterparts were.

As far as the action goes, this movie does not falter. From Ben escaping the hunters at the YVA Hotel to Ben and Elton fighting off Network agents with Elton’s weaponized house to the entire climax on the plane, the film remains engaging in its set pieces, even if they’re spaced out a bit too far for some.

Throughout the movie, there’s some not-so-subtle criticisms about wealth inequality and corporate control over society. They’re as subtle as a rainbow-painted anvil being thrown through a window, but the movie uses them to both add to and heighten the story in a way that feels natural. 

In the end, “The Running Man” succeeds as both an action film and a biting social commentary. 

It adapted several aspects of King’s original book that the 1987 film did not. While I enjoyed the 1987 version as well, I felt that in several areas - like the worldbuilding, the plane climax, the Runners being hunted for 30 days across the country instead of one night in Los Angeles, and the inclusion of Ben’s wife and daughter - this version was an improvement. 

With Edgar Wright’s uniquely frenetic directing style and a spate of memorable performances, the film is sure to both entertain the audience and get them thinking.

Rating: A-

Blurb: “The Running Man” nabs the gold