By: Jamie Steinberg
Director Edgar Wright helms the latest iteration of The Running Man, based on the hit Stephen King novel focused on game show participants where locals are hunted by assassins during a live TV broadcast. Similar in that vein to The Hunger Games, the film’s pace keeps your heart racing and offers an endorphin rush that will distract you from comparing the two. It’s also a more gritty version of its namesake from 1987 and quite a topical sci-fi thrill ride.
Latest It-boy Glen Powell stars as leading man Ben Richards, who lives in a tiny apartment with his wife Sheila (Jayme Lawson) and their infant daughter. Their daughter is chronically ill and needs medicine, but with such high drug prices her treatment is expensive (sound familiar?). Ben is unemployed (again) due to his anger issues, so Sheila works long hours at a brothel or strip joint (not clear on which) in order to bear the brunt of earning the necessary income for the family.
Despite his temper, Ben is a pretty decent dude who just happens to lose his cool when he sees someone being bullied. In order to help raise the necessary money he’ll need to save his family financially, Ben decides to compete on a popular game show that requires contestants to risk their life and pride for cash prizes. Ben had initially promised Sheila that there was one game show he would not sign up for, but as it has the largest payout he changes his mind even though it requires participants to cheat death for thirty days as they hide within the general population. Much like The Hunger Games the show is rigged and so there has never been a winner to date. Therefore, Ben must outwit, outplay and out smart his opponents.
Fans will enjoy the Caesar Flickerman of the film – Bobby T – played by the powerful Colman Domingo. Taunting and vilifying the players and inciting the “Hunters” trying to take them out, Bobby T plays his part well. Add in game-maker/EP Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) as the President Snow-esque villain looking to set Ben on the path towards the first win. Katniss…I mean Ben follows his own gut though and uses the help of his guns and equipment dealing version of Hamish (William H. Macy) and Beetee (Michael Cera) to tackle matters on his own.
Yes, I compared much of The Running Man plenty to The Hunger Games, which are certainly quite present. However, director Edgar Wright does a decent job at making the movie insightful and on the typical high-level of the filmwork he is known for. Wright’s use of drone shots to track the Runners’ progress while Hunters try to take them out bring next level intensity to the games. Plus, the soundtrack for the movie is filled with epic bangers that are perfect fits for the chase scenes and fights. Your only disappointment will be that the movie isn’t as long as you would have liked it to be as the fast pace keeps viewers locked in. The Running Man is a well put-together big-screen entertainment. It’s different from the original enough while staying true to the original formula for the film. For those who are fans of the dystopian genre, The Running Man remains an action-packed thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.