The Running Man Review!

The roots of anarchy from 70’s punk rock is timely and found in the form of Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man! The movie’s plot basically follows the story set by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman in the 1982 novel. The Long Walk (1979) was also written as Bachman and released as film directed by Francis Lawrence this year. It was set in the distant time of 2025 where America’s economy has crashed and become a dystopia. Kinda timely. It was later turned into an Arnold Schwarzenegger adaptation that veered the story into an action comedy movie. This film is directed and co-written by Edgar Wright. HIs last film was the brilliant horror drama, Last Night in Soho (2021). His co-writer is Michael Bacall who previously worked with Wright on one of my favorite movies, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). 

There is a closeup of a cityscape with burning industrial towers, a vision like Blade Runner (1982), coming into focus is a man, Ben Richards (Glen Powell), and his infant daughter, Cathy, who is coughing. Powell’s last movie was the thriller, Twisters (2024). He is trying to get taken off the black list at his job. His boss doesn’t care about his baby whom Ben is holding so he doens’t get violent! Ben walks away and sees in the waiting room, The Running Man promo on television. The contestants have to escape Hunters for 30 days, but he tells his daughter that he is not that crazy. Ben returns to his apartment and watches the FreeVee network. He starts to watch the reality show about an arguing family, The Americanos, the satire is sharp. Then, Ben looks at the game show, Spin the Wheel, they promise cash prizes, but contestants have to try to survive. 

A hostess holds up a 100 dollar bill that happens to have Schwarzenegger’s image. The absurdity is almost like the comedy, Idiocracy (2006). The host is Gary Greenbacks (Sean Hayes) here in a gold suit. Hayes is in this year’s comedy drama, Is This Thing On? This show has a giant hamster-like wheel that the contestant, Bud (Chris Rogers), has to run while given trivia questions. He fails and the wheel is spun until the contestant falls to his death. Ben’s wife, Sheila, is played by Jayme Lawson. She played Pearline in this year’s horror drama, Sinners. Sheila was working a double shift at the Hellhole Club. They do not have the money to get medicine to help their daughter, Cathy, with her fever. They try to find a missing sock for Cathy. Ben shows her a chart showing all of the winning from the game shows. Sheila has Ben promise not to go on The Running Man. 

He promises to watch after her and Cathy. Ben thumps a salute on his chest and leaves the apartment. On the streets of Co-op City, another name from King, Ben sees long lines formed for a Drug pharmacy. He heads over to the Network building and waits in a queue. An older man behind him collapses and Ben tries to get him medical help. Instead the guards strike him and Ben catches the electrified baton. This is his fault, in helping others, Ben and his family are left behind. Ben re-enters the line again and finally reaches the booth. He is told about his life, 35, married, and lost job after job for insubordination. Ben gets angry when the attendent brings up his family and strikes the window. He is moved on. Inside, he meets another contestant, Jenni Laughlin (Katy O’Brian). She says she lives next to his block. O’Brian co-starred with Powell in Twisters as fellow stormchaser, Dani. 

O’Brian brings a toughness and confidence to her role. They get to the elevator and are joined by another contestant, Tim Jansky (Martin Herlihy). He is upbeat, has glasses and a  nametag, sticking out in any place. Herlihy was part of the Please Don’t Destroy group on Saturday Night Live. They begin tryouts on treadmills, walking across tilting boards and hitting a red buzzer like American Ninja Warrior, also climbing a wall. Ben holds up Tim when he falls and helps him back on the wall. The trio pass the tests and get red and black suits. They get a video introduction by the leader of the Hunters, Evan McCone (Lee Pace), he wears a grey mask that hides his face, sunglasses, and beret. Pace plays Brother Day in the sci fi series, Foundation. At the office of the show’s producer, Ben waits as Tim walks out with some women, then Jenni leaves with another woman. 

He enters the office which is lit by the setting sun, the contrast of a beautiful city above all of the people on the streets. Behind his desk, is Dan Killian played by Josh Brolin, all smiles and dressed up in a suit. Brolin was notably in Dune: Part Two (2024) playing Gurney Halleck. Killian slides over an envelop of 100 bills, a bonus, since he thinks Ben will survive, the longest was 29 days in season one. Ben puts his hand in his pocket and finds the missing sock of his daughter. This is Ben’s Zuzu’s petals, a constant reminder of his family, and returning home. Killian says the money will go to his family. Ben signs up for The Running Man and gives his thumbprint. A guard takes Ben away and says that his family will be relocated. Ben asks for a phone call to family and tells Sheila that he is a Runner. He has the guard take the sock to his wife. Ben finds an envelope the next day with a family photo and the sock. 

He is given a wrist attachment that gives notifications and money from the game. Killian walks him down to meet the host, Bobby T, played by Colman Domingo. He has all of the bluster and showmanship of a game show host. Plus he does a little of the hip hop dance inspired by the original film, a highlight for me. Domingo starred in the prison drama, Sing Sing (2023). Killan shows Ben the “new coliseum”, the stage of the Running Man. The modern gladiator game is a great call back to the violence for entertainment. Love American Gladiators which had action, but no brutal violence. The UK version, Gladiators is currently playing on the BBC. The hunting and life stakes game has been popular from “The Most Dangerous Game” (1924) by Richard Connell, to the junior high school students forced to fight in Battle Royale (2000), all the way to The Hunger Games starting with the 2008 novel by Suzanne Collins and 2012 film. Closest to this story is probably the series, Squid Game, with a number of contestants forced by the government to compete. 

Dancers in exercise outfits perform, not the dances from the original film. Bobby narrates the video that shows that criminals are entered into the game. He introduces Ben Richards whom he says worked for a defense contractor, but stole secrets. Video, fake, is shown of Ben at the company, and then Bobby explains that anyone who finds Ben gets $10,000 and a date with his wife. This enrages Ben, but he is held back by two security guards. The next segment, Famous Last Words, has Bobby gives Ben the spotlight. He says, “I’m off then.” The crowd chants the words and Ben is taken away with Killian happily patting his face. The other Runners are brought out and a video is shown of the game rules. They are given $10,000 and a 12 hour head start. Their trackers are untraceable, I wonder if this applies to the Hunters, the Runners must make daily reports or the contract is void, and they will still be hunted. Camera bots, metal spheres, float in front of them and recording the Runners. The Hunters are shown posed next to the audience. 

Ben and his fellow Runners are locked into metal tubes and take a harrowing ride downwards! This leads Ben to a table with money and a change of clothes. He changes into the clothes and then gets into a taxi. The driver recognizes him and Ben asks him to pull over to pick up some prostitutes. Instead, he uses the chance to run from the taxi. He outside and empty building and calls for Molie. Ben is directed to a manhole cover. He climbs down to the workshop of Molie Jernigan (William H. Macy). He is working with a magnifying goggle creating devices outside of the law. Macy played Trevathan in the sci fi movie, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Molie fashions a disguise for Ben, a business suit, glasses, and moustache. This is for a passport for his new identity as John Springer. It is interesting that Ben has allies of his own. He nervously uses the passport for a flight to New York. Ben checks into a hotel and makes the video. The Hunters find and torture Molie until he gives up the Frank Springer identity. This is a nightmare for Ben, we don’t shift perspectives since is this all from Ben’s pov. 

He watches The Running Man and sees Tim at a deli. Tim walks out and is killed.Ben leaves thinking that this safe house established by Molie is compromised and heads to Boston. He checks into a run down apartment and finds a briefcase that has a grenade! Looking out of the window, Ben sees a strange man and finally recognizes the gestures are like the Hunter he saw at the Network. Ben is able to rush to the rooftop, only in a towel!, and manages to lower himself to his room. He gets into a chase with the Hunters and manages to escape. Then, he meets Bradley Throckmorton (Daniel Ezra), an online figure called the Apostle. He knows the truth of the game and the government. On videeos, Throckmorton wears a white suit with a scarf covering his face, sunglasses, and beret. This identity instantly made me think of the online anarchists. Also the anarchy that was in the V for Vendetta (1988-1989) comic books. Another underground figure, Elton Parrakis, in Stephen King's favorite town, Derry, Maine. He is played by Michael Cera from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World! Ben's success leads to a steady backing of the people agains the government. The Running Man has the action of one man hunted by everyone, in a corrupt world, and beneath it is the theme of anarchy!  

Five Socks out of Five! 

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