The Running Man (2025)

Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Alyssa and Sienna Benn, Katy O' Brian, Karl Glusman, Martin Herlihy, Sean Hayes, David Zayas, Angelo Gray, Oluniké Adeliyi
Running Time: 133 min.
Rating: R

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)     

Of the many Stephen King adaptations that hit screens in 2025, a new take on The Running Man always seemed the most logical on paper. That's mainly due to so much happening in the world since the author first published his 1982 novel about a dystopian reality show that sees its protagonist competing in a nationally televised battle for his life. But when the Arnold Schwarzenegger original hit theaters a few years later, it arrived as a cheesy guilty pleasure very much of its era, yet ripe for a potential revisiting down the road. 

Now, with the confluence of reality TV, the internet, smart phones, digital surveillance, artificial intelligence and socio-political conflicts, key aspects of King's eerily prophetic tale have come to pass, creating a wealth of new ideas from which co-writer/director Edgar Wright can draw. And does he ever, which only makes the chilly reception this received from critics and audiences even more perplexing. Unfolding at a breakneck pace, it's edited and constructed well enough to earn a lengthy run time, with much of its success attributable to Wright's world building, a smart script, its great cast and a handful of mind blowing action set pieces. 

In a near future, the United States is governed by an authoritarian media entity called the Network, which ensures the country's population lives in poverty with little access to affordable healthcare. Rearing the nation's viewers on a trashy diet of reality TV and violent game shows, ordinary citizens are given a chance to beat the odds in rigged televised competitions that offer substantial monetary rewards. The most popular is The Running Man, where three "runners" have a shot at winning $1 billion if they survive 30 days without being killed by the Network's five "hunters." But for recently unemployed blue collar worker Ben Richards (Glen Powell), it could be his only chance at affording medicine for he and wife Sheila's (Jayme Lawson) sick two-year-old daughter, Cathy (Alyssa and Sienna Benn).  

Despite Sheila's pleas, Ben auditions for the show, bringing him face-to-face with producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), who senses he might have a huge ratings draw on his hands. Ben signs on the dotted line, but when the hunt begins, he quickly realizes fans are being duped by Killian and bombastic show host Bobby Thompson (Colman Domingo) into viewing him as a cold, calculated criminal. But while Ben captivates the audience and outsmarts mysteriously masked lead hunter Evan McCone (Lee Pace), Killian orchestrates the ultimate finale, as the show's latest breakout star fights for his survival. 

Even before the film's title card appears, we see a desperate, quick tempered Ben pleading for his old job back, having risked standing up for co-workers in a society where selfless actions aren't just frowned upon, but punished. Now with a sick child and his wife pulling double duty waitressing at a shady establishment, desperation starts sinking in. It's also our first glimpse of this corporate media dictatorship that strikes just the right balance of hewing close enough to certain aspects of contemporary culture while also having a semi-futuristic feel firmly rooted in sci-fi.  

Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall are threading a thin needle here, but the execution is backed up by Andrew Whitehurst's VFX and some really impressive set design from Marcus Rowland that help move this far past the TV-centric plot of its 1987 cinematic predecessor. And though a certain cheese factor remains, it's considerably less, passing as an actual game show you'd watch, albeit one that serves the story's many thematic goals. 

This battle-to-the-death manhunt presided over by its sleazy, carnival barker of a host manipulates viewers into accepting whatever constantly changing "rules" Killian sees fit. But it also accomplishes a larger, more sinister goal in keeping the lower class subservient to the Network, who dangle the possibility of hope over helpless contestants who don't stand a chance at winning. They're aware how stacked the deck is, but don't have a say, knowing their only shot at escaping poverty is surviving to the end. Cunning, athletic and angry enough for that to seem attainable, Ben's in a different league than fellow contestants Jenni (Katy O' Brian) and Tim (Martin Herlihy), creating an intriguing dynamic with Killian, who sees dollar signs for at least as long as he can control him.

The show's presentation and format is concisely explained without slowing the momentum, but it's what happens once Ben leaves the studio that makes for such a thrilling ride. If the '87 film failed at opening up King's story, this better explores Ben (given some flimsy disguises by William H. Macy's store owner Molie) contending with a bloodthirsty public eager to give him up for a reward. As the hunters close in, the film cleverly incorporates social media and drone cameras, making it clear even the highly skilled Ben needs more help. This is evident when mandatory video testimonials he mails in to air on the program are edited and manipulated by Killian to push the Network's agenda and turn viewers against him.  

There's a relentless, brilliantly staged hotel action sequence that sees Ben attempting to escape the hunters' clutches that's somehow topped by a latter one that plays like a deranged and dangerous Home Alone reenactment. All of it eventually leads to a plane ride from hell that finds Ben in an explosive final showdown that'll determine his ultimate fate. Along the way we get some lively supporting turns from Daniel Ezra as a Running Man-obsessed streamer aiding Ben in his escape and a wildly entertaining Michael Cera, whose rebellious survivalist Elton will do anything to exact revenge on the Network that killed his father. 

Cera's brief, but incredibly memorable and eccentric performance strikes just the right tone while Emilia Jones appears late in the third act as Amelia, a highfalutin woman taken hostage by Ben. Yes, her character's a plot device, but you'd never know that considering all she brings to a role that serves an such an important function in Ben's quest to open the public's eyes to government crimes and corruption. 

Though Pace strikes an evil, imposing presence as masked vigilante McCone, it's Brolin's Svengali-like Killian who calls the shots, filtering instructions through Colman Domingo's flamboyant emcee. The latter puts his own unique spin on Richard Dawson's '87 outing while the ideally cast Brolin personifies this smarmy, manipulative mastermind with more than a few twists in store. He may respect Ben's will to win, but primarily sees him as a tool for further strengthen the Network's grip over society. 

Ben becomes a symbol, and whether he survives the ordeal or not, his impact could prove longer lasting by showing citizens their potential power to invoke change. Powell provides a worthy mix of anger, desperation, physical prowess and morality to the rebellious Ben, demonstrating again why he received all those early Tom Cruise comparisons. While he's not there yet, and his best work remains 2024's overlooked Hit Man, this project can't help but feel like another step forward in further showcasing that versatility.        

Aside from a pat, overexplanatory final few minutes that tells rather than shows, The Running Man flirts with perfection and may even be superior to King's similarly themed The Long Walk adaptation from the same year. Easily putting to shame the '87 version, it'll rattle Scott Pilgrim fans to hear it's a strong contender for Wright's best film, or at least his most focused and accessible. Free from any polarizing quirks, this looks and feels like a big deal, rarely letting up as it makes the most of its inspired premise. And by using time and technology to expand on the original's ideas, it enhances the potency of a message that's only grown in the decades since.