Rent The Running Man on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Stephen King (based on the novel by), Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright (screenplay by)
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, David Zayas, Sean Hayes
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A man joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to flee anywhere in the world, are pursued by "hunters" tasked to kill them.
Verdict
It's a big budget generic action thriller. While it has some moments, the very core of the movie is a man on the run and that's what this delivers. Unfortunately it doesn't offer much more. Despite the claims of revolution and toppling the tyrannical media, that all seems like set dressing. The movie always feels like a polished big budget movie instead of a gritty story of a man forced into the position of a mascot representing the ills of despotism while defying widespread oppression. This movie hinted at some kind of message the entire runtime and it concludes without saying anything.
It depends.
Review
The 1987 movie is inspired by the book more than a direction adaptation, changing many elements. This follows the book more closely, though this does change the end. I like the books conclusion more.
In a dystopian future Ben Richards (Glen Powell) desperately tries to obtain money for his sick child. He's recently fired and decides to try out for one of the various competition television shows. It seems all entertainment is reality TV with the most famous being "The Running Man" where hunters track and kill contestants. The movie never addresses just how wild that murder for entertainment is state sanctioned. How do people accept that? Ben isn't crazy enough to try out for that show, but due to his anger issues and being fired multiple times for insubordination the network wants him on the show anyway.
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| Glen Powell plays Ben Richards |
It's a question of how far Ben will go for his family. They desperately need money, but the problem is that everyone on that show has been killed. It's crazy to think anyone would volunteer, but a fractured society breeds desperation.
Like all reality television, the show manufactures narratives led by producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin). Ben is selected for the show with two others, and they're all portrayed as degenerate criminals. The show relies on citizens to report contestants to drive engagement and provide hunters direction. Every contestant dies. Why wouldn't Ben fight harder against being in this show at those odds? Even with the money, the movie doesn't overcome that obstacle.
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| Glen Powell plays Ben Richards |
Ben gets a head start and luckily knows a guy that can get him fake IDs and supplies. He holes up in a shady motel and decides to take a shower. I get the desire, but that ends with Ben in nothing but a towel and the hunters breaching the building. The chief hunter, McCone (Lee Pace) is rather menacing in a full face mask. Ben gets out of it in an action packed sequence, even getting help along the way. He quickly becomes a symbol for the revolution against the tyrannical media. That leads to several people helping along the way, but I'd expect they'd want more from him for that.
This shortcuts the ending. Ben kidnaps a woman who eventually joins the revolution. Despite the media purporting Ben died, he remains a symbol. He even gets his revenge on the producer of the series, but that seems perfunctory. In this world that is seemingly controlled by television, this movie does a poor job of building this universe and revealing how that control functions in daily life. I have no reason to suspect Ben made any difference by participating in the show based on how powerful the featured media company seems. They control the narrative. This movie could have done so much more with the themes, but it's content to relegate itself to just an action movie.
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