The 1987 film The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, wasn’t the most well-received Stephen King adaptation. King himself didn’t exactly like the way his story was adapted, and who could blame him? It was almost like the team behind the 1987 film saw the book's title, read the blurb, and thought that was enough. They were mistaken, and while the film has garnered a small following over the years, fans of King’s original work have been dying to see it done justice. Enter Edgar Wright with his take on King’s story, also called The Running Man. With Glen Powell as the leading man, has Wright made a film that King and audiences love, or will it just be another failed book adaptation?

The World’s Most Dangerous Game

Taking place in a near-future version of the United States, blue-collar worker Ben Richards has fallen on tough times. He’s recently been fired and blacklisted from any work he could get in the slums of Co-Op City due to his participation in union activity. This couldn’t have come at a worse time for Ben, as he needs the money for medicine that would save his infant daughter's life.

Willing to try anything, Ben auditions to appear on one of the many game shows run by Network, the authoritarian media empire that controls the country, with their most dangerous show being The Running Man. This show involves three runners having to survive for 30 days while avoiding the hunters and the general public who are out for blood. While Ben initially refused to participate, pleading with the head of Network, Dan Killian, to put him on any other show, Ben eventually relented, and the most dangerous game of his life began.

I enjoyed a lot about this story and found myself on the edge of my seat for most of the film’s runtime. The metaphors about capitalism and herd mentality are blatant, but they don’t overshadow Ben's personal story of wanting to do good for his family, despite the propaganda the Network pushes out. I wish the hunters had a bit more screen time, with the hunter Frank in particular having the potential to be a really interesting character rather than just a goon with a little bit of personality. The ending was also very abrupt and left me a bit unsatisfied. This type of ending probably works better in a book where more is left to the imagination, but it didn’t translate all that well to film. That is disappointing because the rest of the film is phenomenal, but it's just those last 15 minutes that drag it down.

A Face For Television

The 1987 film didn’t have much going for it, but it did have one of the biggest action stars ever, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the leading role, and this new 2025 version doesn't. Instead, Hollywood’s new favourite man, Glen Powell, has stepped into the role of Ben Richards, and he does a pretty fucking good job. His performance is extremely entertaining, not only in the big action scenes where he’s being angry and sarcastic, but also in the quiet moments with his family and friends. Powell cements himself as one of the new action stars of the 2020s with this role, which is crazy, seeing as I remember when I first saw him in Spy Kids 3: Game Over all those years ago.

Powell isn’t the only one who delivered a standout performance, with Josh Brolin turning in a fantastic villain rendition as Dan Killian. Brolin plays the charismatic yet evil corporate boss so well that even I was starting to be convinced that being on The Running Man wasn’t such a bad idea. His consistent interaction with Powell’s Richards throughout the film was one of my favourite moments. Staying on the topic of villains, Lee Pace as Evan McCone (leader of the hunters) was a surprise highlight for me. He exuded intimidation whenever he was on screen, which added a nice layer of tension throughout the film.

The rest of the cast were also great, if a little underutilised. Jayme Lawson as Sheila Richards was great, and I wish we had got to see just a little bit more of her and Ben’s relationship to tug at the heartstrings just a little more. Michael Cera as Elton Parrakis was a surprisingly fun addition to the film, and he steals every scene he’s in. Colman Domingo as Bobby Thompson (the host of The Running Man) was terrific, and I enjoyed seeing his outlandish outfits every time he appeared. Overall, there was not a single bad performance in this film, which is an impressive feat with a cast this large.

Getting All Of The Angles

Edgar Wright has made a name for himself making highly stylised action films, and The Running Man is no different. Every aspect of this film looks exquisite, from the design of the environments to the way each scene is shot; it’s all great. I particularly liked the general vibe of Co-Op City, as it had that Cyberpunk/Blade Runner feel I just adore. I also enjoyed seeing how every other city in the United States looks a lot like they do today (within reason), which emphasises just how far removed from society the elite in Co-Op City are.

Besides just looking aesthetically great, every scene is expertly shot, and this film has some of my favourite action set pieces this year. The way Wright knows when to have the camera close or farther away, stable or shaking, and everything in between is amazing. I shouldn’t be surprised that he was able to create symphonies of action and destruction, but I was just left in awe at some of those moments. My favourite example (without spoilers) involved an apartment building, a lot of guns, and a single grenade.

The Running Man is a beautiful action film that I had a lot of fun with. The characters are engaging, and everything looks phenomenal. And while the story does falter at the finish line, I still enjoyed a lot of what this film had to offer. You know it’s a good adaptation when Stephen King of all people gives it praise, so Edgar Wright did something right.

Have you seen The Running Man? What did you think? Did you also watch the 1987 version? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about our favourite Stephen King adaptations.