Reviewed By: Flickman
Let me start by saying that I enjoyed The Running Man a lot more than I did Predator: Badlands, which you can read about in my last review. While they’re two very different movies, they’re both sci-fi action films and both are worth checking out. That said, if you’re trying to decide which one to watch first, I’d recommend starting with The Running Man.
If you’ve seen the original The Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, this new version may be a bit disappointing. A lot of what made the original great has either been changed or removed entirely. This 2025 version once again centers on Ben Richards, now played by Glen Powell, who needs money to help pay for his daughter’s illness. He decides to compete on a game show, and instead of choosing one of the safer options he originally wanted, he’s talked into joining The Running Man, where the grand prize is a billion “New Dollars” – however much that’s supposed to be worth.
While I did like this version for what it was, I feel it dropped the ball in a few areas. The biggest issue for me was the hunters. In the original film, the hunters were actual characters with their own personalities and unique talents. You had Dynamo, Fireball, Buzzsaw, Captain Freedom, and others, each with their own distinct way of killing contestants. In this new version, there are hunters, but they all look the same and nothing really separates them from one another. They’re bland and forgettable, which is disappointing. This was easily the biggest point deduction for me, as those characters were one of the highlights of the original movie.
The second major misstep, in my opinion, was casting Glen Powell as Ben Richards. While I usually enjoy him as an actor, I don’t think he was the right fit for an angry, temperamental character. He comes across as too smiley and too “man-pretty” to convincingly sell that kind of rage. You can tell he’s trying hard, but it just doesn’t fully work. I think someone like Jason Statham, who already has that natural bad-ass vibe, would have been a better choice. Even Michael B. Jordan could have worked well, and considering Richards’ wife was Black, Jordan may have been an even stronger fit.
I also can’t help but comment on Hollywood’s ongoing obsession with making sure every movie includes interracial couples, gays, lesbians, and every other race, ethnicity, or gender imaginable. It’s getting old fast. Just cast the actors who best serve the story and stop worrying so much about checking boxes or catering to audience feelings.
One thing I did really like about this new version is that the story takes place across the entire country instead of being confined to the actual game show set. It makes the movie feel much more open and allows for a wider variety of scenarios. However, the open-world game show concept does introduce a few logical issues. If Ben simply needs to survive for 30 days, it’s hard to believe there aren’t plenty of places he could hide and never be found, even with the requirement to submit a videotape daily to a mailbox. I get it, the Network cheats and uses certain tech to find people, but I’m still convinced there are ways to hide.
That brings me to probably my favorite character in the movie: Elton, played by Michael Cera. He’s supposed to help Ben hide out in an old bunker for the remainder of the show, but due to a gripe he has with the network, things take a very different turn. I won’t spoil what happens, but that entire scene was easily my favorite part of the film – not to mention I think Cera is hilarious in his own quirky way.
I also appreciated that the movie was fairly well-paced. I never felt bored, as there was plenty of action throughout. Some of it is definitely far-fetched and cheesy, but that’s pretty much expected these days. There’s also a towel scene that was clearly included for the women watching. In a real situation like this, there’s no way in hell that someone fighting for their life would let their guard down long enough to take a shower while being hunted. Even if they did, you’d hope they’d at least keep their clothes nearby instead of leaving them in another room down a hallway. It was ridiculous – but sure, why not. At least the women got something out of it. Right?
I’ll wrap this up by saying that I did enjoy The Running Man and I would recommend watching it. This is one of those movies I could ramble on about for quite a while, breaking down all the ups and downs, but I’ll leave it at this. It’s a fun, action-packed sci-fi film, I just wish it followed the original a little more closely.
Overall Verdict: Fun film to watch but don't expect it to follow the 1987 version. A lot of what made the original The Running Man so great was removed or changed, but there are still plenty of similarities.
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