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Will’s Watchlist: Theatrical Release

The Running Man is a sci-fi action thriller based on a Stephen King novel of the same name. It follows a man who lives in poverty with his family in a futuristic America, where he must make the difficult choice to enter a dangerous reality show competition for the wealthy population’s entertainment in order to win enough money to treat his daughter’s sickness. He ends up being selected for the company’s most lethal competition called The Running Man, which tasks him with surviving 30 days of the entire country hunting him down.

This film has great concepts that drive its narrative, but it’s held back by poor execution. While the overall story is fantastic with overt commentary about late stage capitalism that effectively satirizes the current state of American society, the film stumbles in pretty much every other aspect. The structure and pacing are very uneven, the dialogue is frequently clunky, and the tone is all over the place. Glen Powell’s performance as a bitter action hero is one of the few exceptional elements of this film, and his character is quite entertaining to watch. The action sequences are a highlight as well, but they just don’t compare to Edgar Wright’s other films, such as Baby Driver or Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. In general, this movie feels very watered down compared to Wright’s past work, so it doesn’t really capture the same flair and eccentricity that those films have.

Despite its flaws, I still recommend The Running Man to anyone interested in watching a mindless yet exciting action thriller. The plot is straight forward and there’s no subtlety in its thematic elements, so the film is very easy to watch. As a result, it can provide an enjoyable experience for audiences who want a fun film that covers topical themes without needing much additional thinking.

The Running Man is now playing in theaters. Click here to watch the Official Trailer.

– Review by Will Hopper

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