The Running Man (2025) Paramount/Sci-Fi-Action-Thriller RT: 133 minutes Rated R (strong violence, some gore, language) Director: Edgar Wright Screenplay: Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright Music: Steven Price Cinematography: Chung-hoon Chung Release date: November 14, 2025 (US) Cast: Glenn Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Alyssa and Sienna Benn, Katy O’Brian, Martin Herlihy, Sandra Dickinson, Sean Hayes, David Zayas, Karl Glusman, Angelo Gray, Simon Haines, George Carroll, Debi Mazar, Sophie Simnett, Corey Johnson.
Rating: *** ½
Perhaps the biggest question about the new version of The Running Man is this: is it more like Stephen King’s original novella or the 1987 adaptation starring Arnold Schwarzenegger? The answer is the former. It follows the original source, written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, almost to a tee. HOWEVER, there comes a time when it diverges from the novella. The makers had to make the change. The movie wouldn’t sell otherwise. That’s all I’ll say.
It’s been a banner year for King. The Running Man is the fourth adaptation of his to hit movie screens this year after The Monkey, The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk. They’ve all been great and I’m pleased to report The Running Man follows suit. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a neat throwback to the dystopian action movies of the 80s and 90s- e.g. RoboCop, Freejack (guilty pleasure!) and Starship Troopers. It gives us a look at a bleak future ruled by the media. America has become a police state where a majority of the population lives in poverty and fear. Their only solace is FreeVee, a TV network that placates the huddled masses with idiotic reality shows and violent game shows like The Running Man.
It works like this. Contestants (called “runners”) have a shot at a $1B prize if they can dodge death at the hands of the show’s “Hunters” for 30 days. Ordinary citizens are encouraged to report sightings or go after runners themselves for prize money. In order to ensure the public’s compliance, runners are falsely portrayed as psychopathic criminals (i.e. fake news). Runners can go anywhere in the world, but they have to report in daily via recorded tapes sent through a special mail service. Yes, the game is most definitely rigged against the players.
Ben Richards (Powell, Top Gun: Maverick) is a desperate man. His infant daughter (Alyssa and Sienna Benn) is seriously ill with the flu and he can’t afford the medicine she needs. He’s unemployable due to being blacklisted for attitude issues. He’s been fired from multiple jobs for insubordination. Also, he’s not the most personable person in the world. He’s angry most of the time. His wife Sheila (Lawson, Sinners) has to work extra shifts as a hostess at a gentleman’s club just to barely get by.
Realizing he has to do something, Ben goes to the network building and tries out for one of their many game shows. Despite promising his wife he won’t try out for The Running Man, that’s the one he’s selected for. The show’s producer Dan Killian (Brolin, Dune 1 & 2) tells him he thinks Ben has what it takes to win this thing. He offers him a cash advance and promises to relocate his family if he agrees to participate. Ben accepts.
Along with two other runners, tough girl Laughlin (O’Brian, Christy) and nerdy goofball Jansky (Herlihy of comedy group Please Don’t Destroy), Ben is vilified in front of the audience and viewing public by the show’s host Bobby T (Domingo, Rustin) before being sent on his way with a 12-hour head start. He is determined NOT to lose. That’s easier said than done. The Hunters are never far behind. Along the way, he becomes a folk hero much to the dismay of the network.
Ben adroitly dodges every attempt on his life and not without a little help. He has a friend (Macy, Fargo) who deals in guns and false IDs. He’s rescued from a near-miss by anti-network podcaster Bradley (Ezra, All American) who provides temporary shelter. An activist out to avenge his murdered father, Elton (Cera, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), encourages Ben to keep fighting the good fight. Amelia (Jones, CODA), a motorist he takes hostage, becomes an ally once she learns the truth behind the lies she’s been fed by the network.
Directed by Edgar Wright (Baby Driver), The Running Man is the best action movie I’ve seen in a long time. He keeps things moving along at a rapid clip while lacing the film with a satirical edge. It’s hard not to laugh at “The Americanos”, a Kardashian-esque reality show featuring humorously grotesque caricatures of the first family of reality TV. At the same time, The Running Man speaks to our time with its references to fake news, AI everything, unaffordable healthcare and the heartlessness of the system that’s supposed to protect the common man.
Powell does a great job in the lead. The comparisons to Bruce Willis are right on the money. He infuses Ben with a sardonic wit that fits perfectly with his anger and determination. He’s also a real bad ass. Tough and resourceful, I can see Powell headlining action movies for the next ten or so years. Brolin is at his slimy best as the slick TV producer adept at lying through his teeth. Domingo looks like he’s having fun as the host and tool of the government. The rest of the cast is good, but they’re not on screen long enough for their characters to be developed too far beyond a surface level. I wanted to see more of Jones in the movie. She’s a good actress.
The Running Man runs 132 minutes, but the time flies by. The action sequences are fast and well-orchestrated. It’s smart with its commentary on the state of the world and where we’re headed. Of course, it’s probably better not to think on it too much. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
