The Running Man (2025) review

 

I've always been a big Edgar Wright fan so when I heard that he was writing, directing and making a new version of the 1980's hit movie The Running Man I was locked in. I've now seen it and I gotta say it’s not exactly what I was expecting ar all. Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards a man living in the slums with his wife and sick child. He only wants the best for his family so decides to sign up for a TV show called The Running Man. 30 days of people and elite hunters trying to kill you. If you survive you get 1 billion dollars but nobody has ever won before..will Ben win??

I really wanted to love this movie as I said I’m a huge fan of Edgar Wright from Scott Pilgrim to Shaun of the Dead I really love his work but with this it just didn’t do much for me unfortunately. From its bloated run time to its unnecessary side plot The Running Man is pretty lackluster. It does deliver on the action but it’s the in between sections that I found rather dull. Glen Powell is great here though and is easy to find yourself rooting as he fights for himself and his family. 


The Running Man isn’t awful it’s blistering action set pieces do bring bombastic entertainment but as a whole it’s a bit one note. It’s at least 20 minutes too long and features a third act that is very convoluted and quite unbelievable. It hurts to say but this is a big miss by Edgar Wright it lacks much of his charm, witty dialogue and quirky editing. The Running Man does what it says on the tin but nothing much more unfortunate. 

★★★

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