‘The Running Man’ is an Action Movie Born in the Wrong Era
The Running Man is a notable Stephen King adaptation from the ’80s, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. From the material alone, it was difficult to envision what an Edgar Wright take on it would look like in execution. After seeing the movie, it seems like a choice to try something different. For the majority of The Running Man, Wright throws away every signature that makes his work recognizable. The choice will annoy the purists who daydream of reliving the glory days of The Cornetto Trilogy.
However, when you examine Hot Fuzz, you will find that The Running Man might fit perfectly into the lineup of Edgar Wright movies. In a sense, Wright is Nick Frost as the lovable action fan PC Danny Butterman. He has a clear passion for ’80s and ’90s action movies, and he also mentions Michael Bay‘s early-2000s hit, Bad Boys II.
Most of the films Butterman references move away from the muscle-bound action hero and instead focus on the “everyday man” caught in extreme situations, with actors like Keanu Reeves, Mel Gibson, and Bruce Willis. And while The Running Man is far from perfect, the experience feels like Danny Butterman making his own version of the action films from this era.
What is The Running Man about?
The film centers on Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a father who is struggling to provide healthcare for his sick child. As the movie introduces the viewer to Ben, the camera shows sadistic game show commercials in the background. One of them is The Running Man, a game in which contestants play a vicious game of hide-and-seek while a group of five hunters tracks them across the globe to kill them. If they survive for a month, they win a billion dollars.
Desperate to get his child treatment, Ben explains to his wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson), that he intends to try out for a game show. But he promises to avoid The Running Man and to aim for one of the lighter-paying broadcast gigs.
During his audition, Ben displays an angry disposition toward the wealthy bureaucrats controlling The Running Man. He also shows a knack for survival. The combo catches the eye of showrunner Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), who wants to exploit Ben’s economic despair and underlying rage to boost ratings.
Ben pushes back against Killian’s proposal until he offers to get his child medicine. The agreement throws Ben into the game, and he slowly learns how fake reality television truly is while fighting for his life.
Valid criticisms of Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall’s script
The film shifts into a survival-action movie, providing timely commentary on America’s economic disparities. I have never read King‘s story, but if it explores similar themes, it’s remarkable how well the material still resonates in 2025. The same sentiment applies to The Long Walk. There are compelling satirical elements about the self-righteousness of American life, while the country itself offers little support to its people.
Colman Domingo plays the host of The Running Man. His character, Bobby Thompson, exemplifies the extreme of current politics, where everything is about showmanship to manipulate the masses into a frenzy.
However, some story choices feel rushed. The second half of the movie throws the viewer into the path of two new characters: Elton, played by Michael Cera, and Amelia (Emilia Jones), a wealthy individual who accidentally crosses paths with Ben. Now, to be clear, the Michael Cera cameo is slightly bonkers and entertaining. But the movie expects us to feel something for Elton very quickly, suggesting there might be a more extended version of the film. And if there is not an extended cut with more Elton, then the language of the entire sequence is a head-scratcher.
Furthermore, the sequence that follows, with the random stranger Amelia, serves no purpose other than to reiterate the same themes of economic disparity. But there’s one strong dialogue exchange between them about a scarf Amelia wears, which is worth exponentially more than the cost of the medicine to cure Ben’s child.
The ending of The Running Man also abruptly fizzles out right as it escalates into a glorious crescendo. That said, I did not find it as devaluing as other critics. The whole movie plays with the idea of using AI to manipulate viewers and contestants, and the ending uses propaganda to flip the finale like a cartwheel. It’s fitting, albeit somewhat clumsy in execution.
Despite the opinions, this is an Edgar Wright movie
The chief argument against The Running Man is that it doesn’t feel like an Edgar Wright movie. In some ways, this is correct, but it seems purposeful. The Running Man feels more akin to movies such as Total Recall or anything from the Paul Verhoeven and John McTiernan era.
As an action director, McTiernan invented the “normal guy in an impossible situation” action movie. Instead of making an Edgar Wright movie, Wright made a throwback action movie in the same vein.
Powell might be easy on the eyes, but for the most part, he doesn’t exemplify the stereotypical action star like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone. And the film pushes him to the point that a viewer feels like he could potentially die.
Wright aimed for a similar approach with Last Night in Soho, invoking the colorful horror of movies like Suspiria. It’s the same approach as in The Running Man, designing an action spectacle that PC Butterman might beg to watch with his best friend, Nicholas Angel.
Because it feels like a movie from a different director and a different time period, it’s essential to let go of expectations that it will have the style of early Edgar Wright movies. The Shaun of the Dead wit is present, but the film feels like something that would have aired on mid-’90s HBO in between Virtuosity and Lethal Weapon 3.
Glen Powell continues to show what a magnificent talent he is as a leading man. Like Tom Cruise, he does most of his own stunt work in the movie and truly goes for it in every scene. For example, one set piece has him on the side of a building in his birthday suit. Also, like Cruise, one scene has Powell performing a run that is almost an impersonation of the iconic Tom Cruise sprint.
Final thoughts on The Running Man (2025)
Overall, there are valid criticisms of The Running Man, but most of them stem from expectations. If someone goes into the theater hoping for a Hot Fuzz-style film, they will likely be disappointed.
The Running Man is a fun throwback to the over-the-top action movies you might’ve seen on HBO on a Saturday night in the mid-’90s, like Virtuosity, Freejack, and Drop Zone. In that way, this film is pure escapism. It isn’t perfect, but audiences might come to appreciate it as harmless fun over time.
Also check out Hit Man and the Tangled Web of Lying
