Written by Olivia Aiere
The Running Man crossed the finish line into theaters this weekend with proof that Edgar Wright’s still got some style up his sleeve. This action-packed dystopian adventure isn’t exactly on par with Wright’s other staples, but it still makes for a good time.
Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is angry at the world. More specifically, he’s angry that he lost his job and is now unable to support his sick daughter. To get his family out of poverty, Ben decides to try out to be a contestant on The Running Man, the show no one returns from. Once selected, Ben must compete with two others to outrun those hunting him down.
Every person involved in the game is incentivized to turn against each other, with Ben getting bonuses for killing hunters and the audience getting bonuses for turning in the contestants. Although the society itself is never expanded upon, every aspect of the program adds context to the dystopian setting and showcases the regime they live in. With new currency, high-tech surveillance, and desensitized violence, The Running Man heightens real-world concerns to create the unseeable power that controls the country.
Powell has been Hollywood’s favorite star, as of late. With his successes with Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters, he fits nicely into this action comedy. This movie is more stunt-heavy than his other works, but Powell proves his capability as an action star. His performance demonstrates less range than his other roles, simply because Ben’s motivation is pretty singular. Still, Powell himself makes the character easy to root for. His odyssey introduces a lot of characters — none of which get a lot of time in the spotlight. However, both Coleman Domingo and Lee Pace make the most of their screentime. Domingo plays Bobby Thompson, the fan-favorite host of The Running Man, and oozes his usual charisma both on and off the stage. Lee Pace’s character is best left unknown going into the movie, but his presence alone demands attention.
The most shocking part of The Running Man is the sinister tone it adopts very quickly. The first act is much more grounded than the trailers might have you believe. Even the second and third acts of the movie have less of that vibe than the trailer’s main theme music suggest, although that music is heard throughout the movie. Its upbeat and punchy melodies are used appropriately, but the movie doesn’t balance action and comedy as much as one might hope. Comedy is sometimes dependent on the crowd, so having an unresponsive audience might stifle the experience. At moments where I laughed, the rest of the theater was quite silent.
Wright thrives with the action comedy genre, although The Running Man is a bit more action, not enough comedy. Perhaps it’s the original source material, the Stephen King book, whose tone might clash with Wright’s personal style and limits the use of comedy. Still, the movie makes for an enjoyable watch that action fans can appreciate. It very much screams “dad movie,” so families with older kids could have a good time seeing this in theaters for the holidays.
