Can a movie about violent entertainment be too entertaining? Edgar Wright’s The Running Man walks that tightrope — and sometimes slips.
Spoilers Ahead!
Edgar Wright’s new take on The Running Man adapts Stephen King’s dystopian novel more faithfully than the 1987 Schwarzenegger classic. But does it capture the story’s scathing social commentary or simply become another crowd-pleaser? In this breakdown, we explore how Wright and Glen Powell reinvent the bloody spectacle at the heart of King’s story.
Powell plays Ben Richards, a desperate man fighting through a televised death game for survival and cash. His charisma and humor give the role an unpredictable charm — a sharp contrast to Schwarzenegger’s stoic powerhouse. With Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo rounding out a powerhouse cast, the film moves with the kinetic energy you’d expect from Wright.
But while the film dazzles with style, some of King’s deeper ideas get lost in translation. Wright’s satire of reality TV and audience complicity only goes so far before leaning into the thrill it critiques. Our review unpacks why this adaptation is so fun — and why that might be the problem.
0:00 The Challenge of Adapting The Running Man 0:30 Wright’s Take on King’s Dystopia 1:00 Glen Powell’s Reinvention of Ben Richards 1:30 The Supporting Cast and Energy 2:00 When Satire Turns to Spectacle 2:30 The Ending’s Uneasy Shift 3:00 Verdict: Style vs. Substance
