I’m a product of the pop culture eras I’ve happily consumed. I was a kid during the 80s, but still got the benefit its movies with all their bravado and flair. Schwarzenegger flicks were a staple for me. Jump a couple decades to the 00s, when I was a college student who sought out directors with quirky sensibilities that didn’t fit into the norm. Edgar Wright projects soon became part of my personality. So, with the 80s nostalgia combined with the style that Wright delivers, The Running Man should be the perfect combination. Right?
In this 2025 version of the movie, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is a desperate man living with his wife and sick daughter in the slums. He has been blacklisted from consistent work and makes a risky move in order to support his family. He gets dragged into competing in the biggest and most deadly TV show in the world, The Running Man.
The Running Man is a contest where you have to survive for 30 days without the dreaded hunters taking you out. Each day Ben survives, he gains quite a bit of money, but also, the danger around him increases as he’s left with very few places to hide.
Powell is backed up by a really strong supporting cast. The standout here is Colman Domingo, who plays the charismatic host of The Running Man. His scenes are limited, but he’s easily the most memorable character. Josh Brolin plays Killian, who is the villainous head of the Network. He gets plenty of opportunities to phone in his performance and chew the scenery. William H Macy gets a few minutes of screentime and somehow makes you wish he was a bigger part of the plot.
I mention the support behind Glen Powell, because he is horrendous in the role. The guy is suited for a few charismatic roles, but Ben Richards is not it. At no point did I ever believe the hazardous position he’s in. He’s playing the role angry in all of its one-dimensional glory. He also seems a bit lost with a script that wants him to be charming, but also struggling.
The script is not good. It’s an overly long 2 hours 13 minute action movie that doesn’t know if it wants to be a comedy, a political allegory, or an in-your-face action flick. It pains me to say this, but Wright has lost the plot. He has always managed to deliver movies that cross genre lines and provide biting satire. The ingredients are here, but it truly feels like the studio stepped in and said, “make it more dumb.”
The biggest missing factor here is Wright’s typically clever editing style. His movies typically have so much replay value because most of them are first and foremost comedies, but upon rewatch, you see the care and craftsmanship of a modern auteur. His films ask you to pay attention and assure you that you’ll be rewarded. The Running Man looks and sounds like it could have been directed by literally anyone. There’s a lot of explosions and violence, but there’s no soul or choreography to it. It’s just a sequence of loud events that you’ll forget about immediately after.
Just before the third act, I felt like the movie was finding itself. There’s an extended stay at the safehouse of Michael Cera’s character. It provides so much randomness between his violence-hungry mother, his somber backstory, and a house rigged to take out his enemies. There are genuine moments of fun and notability here. It’s one of the few scenes that feels like it was made on purpose, and not by committee.
Reader, you should note that I’m coming to this review as a clear fan of Edgar Wright’s previous work, so my disappointment colors my take on this movie. With that said, I’m not sure why he’s even attached to this remake that seemingly feels void of all of his personality.
Fans of the book (doubtful) will be happy to see this story follow the book’s plot more closely than the 1987 movie. Though, by removing the camp, Wright removed the charm.
The Running Man is the most disappointing movie of the year for me. The team behind it should have made a flashy and tightly-paced romp. It’s not a bad movie per se. It’s just a standard action flick that is easily forgotten. It might be time for Wright to scale back and make something original again. C-
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