The Running Man - Movie Review

Luke Loew
Nov 24
5 min read

Was off work on Friday, and when your girlfriend is working hospital rotations in the afternoon -- you go see a movie you don't think she'd like solo at 2:00 pm. And as the Glen Powell Fanatic that anyone who's read a handful of Bean's Blogs knows I am -- The Running Man was a must-see for me. Directed by Edgar Wright -- director of one of my niche-favorite movies of the 2000s Baby Driver, as well as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Last Night in Soho -- this movie is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel from 1982. There was a previous movie adaptation in 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger -- and is Glen Powell's debut as a true leading man for a pure Action Movie.

In typical fashion when a new movie is out in theaters that I'm not sure everyone has seen it -- we will go through this with a NON-SPOILER review first. This will just be my general takeaways about the performers in the cast, the structure of the movie, what worked and didn't work without getting into specifics.

Premise

In the near future, "The Running Man" is the top-rated show on television, a deadly competition where contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins. Desperate for money to save his sick daughter, Ben Richards is convinced by the show's ruthless producer to enter the game as a last resort. Ratings soon skyrocket as Ben's defiance, instincts and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite, as well as a threat to the entire system.

Cast

Character Name -- Actor -- (Prominent Movies/TV Shows on their resume)

Ben Richards -- Glen Powell -- (Hit Man, Chad Powers, Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters, Anyone But You)
Amelia Williams -- Emilia Jones -- (CODA, Cat Person, Winner, Task -- was incredible in this show BTW)
Evan McCone -- Lee Pace -- (Foundation, Guardians of the Galaxy, Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Hobbit franchise)
Bobby Thompson -- Colman Domingo -- (Sing Sing, The Four Seasons, Rustin, Euphoria, The Color Purple)
Dan Killian -- Josh Brolin -- (Weapons, No Country for Old Men, Dune franchise, Sicario)
Bradley Throckmorton -- Daniel Ezra -- (All-American, A Discovery of Witches)
Laughlin -- Katy O'Brian -- (Love Lies Bleeding, Twisters, Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning)
Elton Parrakis -- Michael Cera -- (Superbad, Scott Pilgim vs. The World, Arrested Development, Juno)

The cast was the big selling point for me wanting to see this movie -- obviously for the Glen Powell of it all -- but there's lots of people I like a lot in the cast. I think Powell is good as the star of the film, but don't think the script gives him many opportunities to be the charismatic, funny, charming lead we know him as.

Josh Brolin is one of my favorite actors doing it right now, and he's solid in the role of the main antagonist. Lee Pace plays another villain in the movie and is menacing enough. Daniel Ezra and Emilia Jones don't have much to do -- but I liked seeing them both pop up in this film.

The 2 standouts for me were Michael Cera and Colman Domingo. Cera comes in later in the film and is just such a delight -- funny, against type-cast, and just super enjoyable in limited action. Colman Domingo is just an incredible performer -- if you haven't seen him in a movie or show before, find something of his to watch, because he's great.

The Good

As I said in the intro -- I love the movie Baby Driver, which Edgar Wright also directed. That movie has some incredible action sequences -- most of which are car chases and bank heists and Ansel Elgort sprinting around evading police. This movie does the action very well to me -- quick, unique style, and PLENTY of it. Glen Powell sprinting away from people hunting him down, fight sequences and violent kills, This is as true to the genre of action as you'll find this year, and one of the better action movies of the year in my opinion.

I also really appreciate that this movie didn't pull any punches on the message it's trying to send -- which is to say, it has something to say about the world. It's built into the premise of the film that this is a game show that is created by the elite's of the elite -- and they're corrupt and portray the message to the world that they want to portray. And the people who participate in the show have been wronged by these elites -- which is why they're lower class and blinded by the cash prize. There are obvious parallels to the real world, and the movie is super effective in portraying how wrong that imbalance of power is.

My last broad positive is that the movie is just very exhilarating and gripping -- I may have expected it to be more fun (and at times wished it had more fun) -- but it does keep you on the edge of your seat for the full run-time. The first 90 minutes or so in particular I found incredibly engaging.

The Mixed/Bad

Keeping with the non-spoiler theme, I won't get into specific things that I didn't love about the movie, just broad strokes. Some things were bigger issues than others for me, and I think it depends on how important these aspects are to you when you see a movie.

My #1 issue, which was briefly mentioned above -- is that I think this is a much more enjoyable movie if it incorporated a little more comedy and light-heartedness. This is a pretty intense film with heavy topics at the center of it -- which I think enhances the message they're trying to get across. I do think it'd be a more watchable/rewatchable movie if it didn't take itself so seriously. There's a handful of fun/funny moments -- I would've like to see some more charm throughout.

Another issue was that the 3rd Act fell apart a little bit for me. Partially because I think the first 2 Acts are that good -- super intriguing and exciting -- that you expect the last stretch to hit like crack. The last act has it's moments -- but loses a some of the momentum it had built leading up. It also has some logical issues -- there were a couple moments that had me scratching my head a little bit on why characters were behaving how they were. Those aren't a huge roadblock for me personally -- but I think they could be for others.

Those 2 are the big ones for me without getting into specifics -- but overall, I'm much more positive on the movie as a whole than negative. Some nitpicks for sure, but a really good action flick that was worth the trip the cinema in my book.

Conclusion

If you love Action Movies -- you aren't going to find too many better than The Running Man in the year 2025. It may not have hit the highs that I was hoping it would (because I want all of Glen Powell's movies to be smash-hits), but I found it to be incredibly exciting and full of great action sequences. Really fun cast -- tons of great actors that I really enjoy in the ensemble -- and a really interesting premise. Not a perfect movie by any means, but one that has real emotion and commentary on the world, disguised as an action-packed thrill ride.