In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television – a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite – and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.
What We Thought:
I find most remakes to be absolutely unnecessary. Did we need a remake of the classic Arnie flick? No, but I was trying to be optimistic with The Running Man because it was coming from Edgar Wright (who has 5 films I love) and was starring Glen Powell who I enjoy. It was also supposed to be closer to Stephen King’s source material so it was going to at least try something new. Unfortunately like RoboCop and Total Recall, it’s a clunker. In fact it’s one of the worst movies of 2025.
The remake of The Running Man is soulless. It gives the audience absolutely no reason to care about anyone involved and falls flat throughout. Powell plays Ben Richards who finds himself participating in The Running Man TV show because he needs money for his sick kid. He’s been fired from one job after another and his family is struggling. I get that, but at no point is the character developed beyond an angry guy. He gets fired for being angry, he gets hired for The Running Man because he gets angry. His entire personality is anger. If he was more about his family and less being angry and taking on capitalism maybe I’d care. Like him, no other characters are developed. Every person in the film is a one-dimensional, one note character or a total walking stereotype. Anyone that helps Richards along the way is either a hacker, someone against the network, someone against big business, a vapid woman who’s doing somewhat better than others or whatever. I probably can’t name another character because of it. Same for the other runners, one nerdy guy, one tough gay woman. It’s all just stereotypes and tropes. Even the hunters are generic. The original film made the hunters specific characters that Arnold had to take on, these were generic other Lee Pace’s character.
The biggest issue with the movie is that it lacks any of Edgar Wright’s typical style. If I didn’t know going into it that it was his film I wouldn’t have guessed that. The music is underused and that’s not what Wright is known for. The style of the film has some video game type graphics, but those expecting Baby Driver fun will be disappointed.
I also thought Glen Powell was pretty flat. The normally charming Powell is bogged down by being the angry guy, You don’t get anything from him that audiences fell in love with over the past few years. He’s a great looking guy that has all the ability to carry a film, but his Ben Richards lacks charisma and you don’t get much out of the pretty boy with the great smile. I understand it’s a dystopian Stephen King story with very poor people and the world being somewhat in chaos, but this version of Richards isn’t comparable to Schwarzenegger’s from decades ago.
The Running Man is one of the biggest disappointments of 2025. It hammers you over the head with messages that I’m already tired of hearing about. I’m not rich, have never been rich and I’m already tired of films (starring and made by filthy rich people) saying rich people are bad and down with capitalism. Lean into the Big Brother angle, don’t beat an audience over the head with money and political messaging. The action is lackluster and I simply didn’t care about anyone in the movie. Edgar Wright films are usually fun and with Twisters Glen Powell showed he could carry a blockbuster, but this movie lacks either man’s usual entertainment factor.
Directed By: Edgar Wright
Cast: Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, with Colman Domingo and Josh Brolin
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