Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t get the hype around Glen Powell. Never have, and honestly? Not sure if I ever will.
Having said that, I’ve watched a few of his movies and they’ve all been solid entertainers, including this one!
I went into The Running Man completely blind. No trailer, no synopsis, nothing. So when I saw the intro credits saying it was based on a Stephen King novel, I thought this might be interesting.
And honestly? It was. The movie is disturbingly close to reality. It dives into how massive corporations control literally everything: government, media, the military, and even our cars. There’s violence, propaganda, deepfakes, AI manipulation, and fake news left and right. It’s set in a “fictional” America, but let’s be real, it doesn’t feel that fictional.
Someone in the cinema mentioned that it reminded them of 1984 by George Orwell, and I totally get that. But I also caught some Hunger Games vibes, especially in the parts with Coleman Domingo as Bonny T, the game show host. (The Hunger Games still remains unmatched! No shade, Stephen King).
The story follows Ben Richards, a guy with “anger issues” who keeps getting fired for “insubordination”, aka standing up for what’s right. He lives in a struggling neighbourhood with his wife (a club waitress) and their sick two-year-old daughter.
Out of desperation, Ben signs up for Freevee Network’s violent reality show empire, run by Dan Killian (played by Josh Brolin). Eventually, he’s forced into The Running Man. In this deadly survival show, contestants must stay alive for 30 days to win a billion dollars, while being hunted by assassins and even betrayed by civilians.
As an action movie, The Running Man absolutely delivers. It is fast-paced, high-energy, with good choreography and solid world-building. It does drag a bit towards the end, but it never really loses momentum.
Oh, and I have to mention, there’s an entire chase sequence where Glen Powell is literally just in a towel, fresh out of the shower. It’s chaotic and kinda hilarious, but somehow still works within the movie’s over-the-top vibe.
Glen Powell as Ben Richards is great. He’s angry, intense, and moral, but there were moments when I just couldn’t take him fully seriously. Maybe it’s just me.
Michael Cera’s cameo was so fun and chaotic. Josh Brolin makes a great villain. He’s charming, manipulative, and terrifyingly believable as the corporate puppet master running the whole show.
Coleman Domingo also nails his role as Bonny T, bringing charisma and flashiness every time he’s on screen.
I didn’t love the ending too much. The whole revenge bit and the happy reunion felt unnecessary. It wasn’t really ambiguous either; we all knew Ben would survive, they just dragged out the reveal.
Some parts of the movie were too predictable, and a few felt like random side quests that didn’t add much. Not sure how true to the original book it is, but overall, it’s a fun, relevant watch.
The Running Man comes out in cinemas today, the 13th of November.
