Review - The Running Man (2025)

       Hey guys, Chuck here, and this is my review of the new Edgar Wright film The Running Man, starring Glen Powell, Katy O'Brian, Colman Domingo, Michael Cera, Lee Pace, Jayme Lawson, William H. Macy, Amelia Jones, and Josh Brolin. 

      Based on the novel by Stephen King, this movie is set in a dystopian future, and tells the story of Ben Richards, who is desperate for money to help his daughter, who is sick with the flu and needs proper treatment. On a whim, Ben auditions to participate in the deadliest game show in this future: The Running Man. The rules: survive thirty days, and take home a massive sum of money. The stakes: everyone in the country is now hunting him down. So, the question is this: does Ben have what it takes to survive an onslaught of people wanting to kill him to earn enough money to take care of his wife and daughter? 

      Now, before I go further, I have to admit that I have never seen the original movie adaptation of The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger. So, I am basing my opinion of this movie on the movie itself with no comparisons to a movie I never saw. 

       That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and had a lot of fun with it. Glen Powell as Ben was definitely a lot of fun as the lead, and you really feel the world closing in around him. As villains go, both Josh Brolin as Dan Killian and Lee Pace as Evan McCone were threatening on two different levels, with McCone being the physical threat, and Killian being a more psychological threat as the mastermind of The Running Man. I also enjoyed the performances by the likes of Katy O'Brian, Jayme Lawson, Michael Cera, and Amelia Jones. But, it was Colman Domingo as the enigmatic Bobby T. that was a real standout in this movie. 

         The action was fun, the direction by Edgar Wright was really good. However, I do need to mention that pacing in the movie was weird. It started strong, picked up quickly, slowed down for a spell, and then sped up all the way to the end. But, that's just my opinion. Aside from that, I had a lot of fun with The Running Man, and I can definitely say I'm glad I checked this one out. 

       Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review. 

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