The Running Man (2025) – Review

Quick Thoughts:

1. I never expected it to be as pessimistic as the 1982 book, but I wish it leaned more into pessimism. It blends depressing dystopia with broad humor, and it never mixes.
2. I love a good “Y” bit. 
3. Glen Powell is a likable and charismatic actor. It was a mistake to make his character an angry dude. He doesn’t pull it off. 
4. I’m always down for an Edgar Wright film. 
5. There is fun to be had, but the film is too long and lacks momentum. 

When looking through Edgar Wright’s filmography, it is obvious why he chose to tackle The Running Man. Whether it’s a schlub battling zombies (Shaun of the Dead), a big city cop being transferred to a tiny village (Hot Fuzz),  ordinary dudes battling aliens (The World’s End), or a young designer moving to a big city (Last Night in Soho), there’s always been a fish out of water element to his movies. That’s why the story of an ordinary man being hunted by murderous mercenaries made sense for Wright (he also really loves action movies). The problem with The Running Man is that Stephen King’s 1982 book is super pessimistic and leans into nihilism. Wright has never shied away from murder (the word “murder” is mentioned 40+ times in Hot Fuzz), but he’s never tackled something so bleak. The result is a visually alive film that pulls its punches and feels like a “rage against the machine” movie produced by a major studio

Stephen King’s The Running Man is a bleak dystopian novel that features a downer of an ending which doesn’t leave much room for hope. In Wright’s version, Ben (Glen Powell) is selected for the reality show because of his physical attributes (dude is a tank), wild temper, and big personality. The showrunner, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) thinks he could be the first person to win the game, which would save his daughter and provide a better life for his wife Sheila (Jayme Lawson), who seemingly never stops working at a seedy nightclub. To survive, he and the other two contestants (Katy O’Brian, Martin Herlihy) need to survive a 30-day hunt. The contestants can travel wherever they’d like, but to prevent them from hiding in a hole for 30 days, they are forced to record a video of themselves and mail it every day (it’s a rigged game). They also need to keep a low profile because their faces are plastered everywhere, and host Bobby Thompson (Colman Domingo) does his best to make sure that  99% of the viewers around the world hate them so much that they wouldn’t think twice about reporting their whereabouts for reward money. During Ben’s cross-country journey, he’s helped by characters played by William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra, Michael Cera, and Emilia Jones – who all get moments to shine despite not getting nearly enough screen time to be memorable (aside from Cera – he’s great). 

Wright cast Glen Powell because of his “everyman” appeal and ability to channel the vibes of Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford. However, there’s nothing “everyman” about Powell, who trained to become a tank for the role so he could endure months of stunts and running. Muscular characters are a staple of action cinema, so it wasn’t surprising that Powell has a 10-minute shirtless action scene. The good news is that his muscles are explained (he’s a construction worker), and he’s not one of the inexplicably jacked alcoholics featured in The Meg (Jason Statham) and Moonfall (Patrick Wilson). That being said, the movie would work better if Gary King (Simon Pegg) or Andy Knightley (Nick Frost) from The World’s End were being hunted. 

Since it’s an Edgar Wright film, the visuals are legitimate and the performances are solid. The guy knows how to film an action scene (the finale of Hot Fuzz is beautiful), and it’s fun watching him attempt to capture a more realistic style of action. His adherence to capturing everything in camera is admirable, and it leads to a few solid action scenes, with the most notable involving Michael Cera, a dune buggy, and several Home Alone-esque traps. 

The biggest problem with Ben’s cross-country trip is that with each new person he meets, the movie loses momentum. In book form, the new characters work because you can spend time with them through several chapters. However, in the film, they come and go quickly and never register as complete characters. Between Baby Driver, The World’s End, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Wright has proven that he can handle ensemble casts, but what sets The Running Man apart from them is that several of the characters Ben meets aren’t needed for the plot. Sure, they were featured in the book, but they aren’t necessary (like the Evil Exes in Scott Pilgrim) or memorable (like the criminals in Baby Driver).

Final Thoughts – Watch it if you’re an Edgar Wright completist.