I checked out Edgar Wright’s latest film, The Running Man, starring Glenn Powell, and honestly… I walked out pretty disappointed. As someone who loves the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version — peak cheesy 80s action that I watched a million times on basic cable — I was hoping this new take might capture some of that outrageous charm while updating the story. Both films, of course, come from the classic Stephen King novel, and Wright’s take is definitely the more faithful adaptation. But being faithful to the book doesn’t automatically make it a better movie, and in this case, I think that choice held it back.
What surprised me most is how not Edgar Wright this movie feels. There’s almost none of his trademark energy, flair, wit, or stylistic personality. Instead, it plays like a pretty standard, pseudo-blockbuster action film — watchable, sure, but lacking character. Glenn Powell absolutely carries the movie; he’s fantastic, and he does everything he can. Josh Brolin is right there with him, bringing weight and sincerity to every scene. The supporting cast — Jamie Lawson, Coleman Domingo, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Lee Pace — all do fine work, but the film doesn’t give any of them much to really elevate things.
One of my biggest issues is the world and the villains. In the 1987 film, the Stalkers were the highlight — wild, goofy, over-the-top personalities with ridiculous costumes and setpieces. They were memorable. Here, the hunters are just… slightly upgraded soldiers. They’re vanilla, interchangeable, and completely lacking personality. I get that this version hews closer to the book, but the movie desperately needed more distinctive antagonists to stand out.
The action is solid in short bursts, but never particularly exciting. A big part of that is the shift in structure: the original put Arnold literally inside a game-show arena system — each zone had a theme, a vibe, a boss. It felt like a twisted 80s game show. Powell’s version is running around the “real world” for 30 days, which sounds cool on paper but ends up feeling less unique. The newer film never has that memorable arena feel or escalating sense of chaos.
And man, the ending is rough. It feels like the movie ends five different times before it actually ends, and none of them land. The tone swings all over the place — one minute super serious, the next trying for over-the-top cheese — and the script, especially in the last act, just falls apart.
It reminds me of how I felt leaving The Fall Guy: big movie star, big director, but the movie just doesn’t come together. Powell is terrific, but he can’t single-handedly pull a $200 million blockbuster over the finish line. And considering this film was originally set to open the same weekend as Predator: Badlands, I’m glad it didn’t — because that comparison would’ve made this look even weaker. Badlands knows exactly what it is; The Running Man feels like a studio-mandated checklist with Edgar Wright’s actual style stripped out.
In the end, this was a huge letdown for me — especially as a massive Edgar Wright fan. I’d love to see him scale back and return to something smaller, more personal, with the collaborators who bring out the best in him. People might enjoy this when it hits Netflix in six months, and that’s fine — it’s a perfectly watchable movie. But for me, this just wasn’t the Edgar Wright film I was hoping for.
The Running Man = 59/100
