Edgar Wright delivers a thrilling, true-to-King take on The Running Man.
These days, no matter which direction you look, a new adaptation or re-adaptation of Stephen King’s work is readily available. ‘The Running Man’ was due for a fresh coat of paint, and director Edgar Wright has delivered a star-studded blockbuster that rarely lets off the gas while staying shockingly true to the source material.
Glen Powell Leads a Relentless Survival Story
Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a working-class citizen of a dystopian society who can’t afford the medication to save his sick daughter. Ben has been blacklisted from his trade, so, in an act of desperation, he applies to participate in a game show to win some money to help his family.
Ben is hand-picked to participate in television’s highest-rated program, The Running Man, where runners attempt to survive for 30 days to win unthinkable amounts of money, all while being hunted by ruthless killers. Ben’s popularity within the show only makes the game that much more difficult, where the odds are already stacked against him.
Glen Powell’s movie star journey has been striking to watch, and ‘The Running Man’ really feels like the film where his charisma, grit, and action prowess all intersect. While there is an incredible ensemble cast, much of the movie rests on Powell’s shoulders in a way we haven’t seen in a studio-wide release. If you’ve been hesitant about Powell as a star, there’s no denying it anymore.
A Stacked Cast Brings Energy to the Game
The extensive list of names that make up the rest of the cast includes Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Katy O’Brien, and several more. Domingo in particular hams it up as the on-air host of the gameshow itself, and Cera re-teams with Wright for some memorable moments during a big action setpiece.
Edgar Wright Balances Style and Substance
Edgar Wright faithfully adapts the world that Stephen King created, while still bringing a significant amount of his visual flair to the screen. This is actually one of the less flashy versions of the style for which Wright is known, but it’s no less of a visual feast.
The action itself can leave you out of breath as a title like ‘The Running Man’ would suggest, and the pacing keeps the film moving at a breakneck pace. There are a few moments where the narrative becomes a little too plotty and meandering, diverting from the source material, but it’s nothing that will significantly detract from the experience.
Verdict
Edgar Wright’s new adaptation of ‘The Running Man’ is a much more faithful version of the King (penned under Richard Bachman) novel when compared to the 1987 classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Glen Powell delivers an explosively gritty and charismatic performance alongside a fun ensemble cast. While the plotting sometimes gets a bit in its own way, the overall nationwide pursuit and swift pacing make it easy to overlook some potential flaws.
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Drew Munhausen
Media and Movie Mastermind who co-hosts the Moviegoers Society Podcast and Fresh out the Pod.
