Rating: 3/5
“The Running Man” starring Glen Powell is a film adaptation of American author Stephen King’s novel “The Running Man.” Unlike the 1987 “The Running Man” adaptation with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 2025 rendition is more faithful to the book and takes less of a stylistic twist on characteristics of King’s characters. Yet, the newer remake still failed to impress me.
Making $16,495,564 on its domestic opening, according to IMDbPro, the film was mildly entertaining and packed with action, but lacked dimensional characters and plot.
The story follows the journey of Ben Richards, played by Powell, who is a desperate family man. Richard lives in a totalitarian society and is unable to find work because he was blacklisted for attempting to help his coworkers stay alive. Determined to pull his family out of “the Slumside,” he turns to participating in government-operated violent game shows and gets roped into “The Running Man.”
This dangerous and popular show gives contestants a twelve-hour head start to run and hide before elite assassins attempt to kill them. Civilian viewers of “The Running Man” are encouraged to report the contestant’s location for money. For every hour Richards survives, he receives money to pull his family out of poverty.
However, the story feels over-the-top satirical with corny one-liners, weak storylines, and lucky coincidences that move the story forward.
Furthermore, the 2025 adaptation of “The Running Man” seems like a less serious version of Suzanne Collins “The Hunger Games” series mixed with Hwang Dong-hyuk’s “Squid Game” with the violent entertainment, totalitarian government, individuals who participate in dangerous activities out of desperation, school-games turned deadly, and the brainwashing of the public.
Though it tries to carry the same message and doesn’t hit the nail on the head for me, I can overlook that because the content of the movie is light-hearted and easier for audiences to swallow than a serious film created to point out an issue in the world. The warning of media overconsumption in “The Running Man” 2025 is more subliminal.
Another issue that made the film poor were the actors. It seemed like Powell and his supporting actors were reciting lines rather than being one with the film. The lack of good acting made many scenes feel forced because the authenticity of an actor’s emotions is missing, making it hard for the audience to connect to characters or root for a particular person.
Visually, the movie did not particularly stand out and had blatant brand placements.
I would have enjoyed the film better if they took more artistic liberties to pan the camera across the skyscrapers and did closer angles on Powell’s facial expressions. It would have accentuated how desperate Ben Richards was to win the “Running Man” for his family.
Nor did the film soundtrack impress me much. It did not feel like there was thought or purpose behind where the cameras were angled or the sounds to use. The choices felt simplistic and did not immerse me deeper into the Running Man world.
Usually, my criteria for music would be that the rhythm of the soundtrack matches the characters action or seems to mirror the backdrop. The music was too energetic and upbeat for my liking. The soundtrack needed more discord to replicate the terror and panic Richards feels as he is hunted; since “the Running Man” takes place in a dystopian world, I also expected stronger uses of eerier sounds to copy the unsettling feeling that the government is always watching its citizens.
However, the movie still carries the warning and message about how dangerous it is for governments to control the media and therefore its citizens. “The Running Man” 2025, with its satirical nature, keeps this message more subliminal than King’s novel, where the main purpose is social commentary rather than entertainment with flashy action.
