It’s fun to see the references “The Running Man” makes to its predecessor starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, but there’s a lot that just slows to a crawl — even with Glen Powell in the lead.
That’s because director Edgar Wright hasn’t necessarily defined the world it’s running in. Eventually, we learn television networks control the world and set citizens on a survival course: Make it through the season, and you’re an instant billionaire. Falter and you could end up dead.
Glen Powell, center, stars in "The Running Man."
There are references to things like “The Hunger Games,” “Network” and other dystopian works, but this never gets into what the vast majority of the people do. They’re glued to their television sets (and they all seem to have high-end ones), but you don’t know what they do during the dark, dank days when the race is being run.
Interestingly, the book by Stephen King was set in 2025, which means we must be living in the world he was imagining. The network has a logo that looks suspiciously like the one for Netflix, and a host of prodders reminds us of politicians today. Josh Brolin plays the lead power broker, the head of the network who writes his own scenario, even if it doesn’t square with reality. He’s out for more eyes on his series and isn’t afraid to let a band of “hunters” loose on anyone.
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Powell plays one of the final three, who’s in the game because he can’t get a job and needs money for medicine for his daughter. As he scales the various hurdles, viewers become fans and want more. Powell knows how to draw them in — and isn’t afraid to doff a shirt if it’s necessary. Meanwhile, he needs to rely on a group of dissidents to help him through the roughest encounters. It’s interesting how misguided they are, but also how willing they are to play the game.
Josh Brolin stars in "The Running Man."
“The Running Man” has cameos here and there (look for Sean Hayes early on), but it doesn’t take advantage of them, particularly since they could flesh out this world and help us understand how it got to this point.
Knowing how ready King is to poke the bear, this could have been a great examination of politicians, cable news shows and personalities. Instead, it’s more the story of a megalomaniac and the puppet he thinks he can control: Geppetto Unbound.
Powell was great in “The Hit Man,” but needs to back off the Brad Pitt moves if he wants to find his place in the action/adventure world.
Similarly, we need to see more of Brolin’s world if we want to understand why folks would risk everything just for a shot at Powerball-like money.
If you didn’t get enough from the original film and need to see this one, look at the fringes of what it conveys. There’s a great insider’s view that’s enjoyable, even when the mainstream game isn’t.
