THE RUNNING MAN
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Jayme Lawson, Lee Pace, Katy O’Brian, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra, and Emilia Jones
Director: Edgar Wright
AMARÚ
For a movie tailor-made to fit Edgar Wright’s stylish directorial flair, The Running Man is surprisingly muted. That’s probably because it vacillated tones so often that the visuals could never settle into any kind of groove, and that’s the film's biggest issue. While Glen Powell goes full ham-fisted fuck the system, the story turns from schlock to serious and back so quickly that characters, plot points, and action bits arrive and disappear in a flash. If we’re going to pay homage to 80s camp, then stick to it; otherwise, what’s left is a lot of false starts to fun ideas that often fizzle out.
ADRIANO
The Running Man is the most disappointed I've been this year. That's not to say it's bad; it has some fun energy and entertainment value, thanks in part to Glen Powell's movie-star charisma, alongside Colman Domingo chewing the hell out of his scenes. However, Edgar Wright's signature freneticism is oddly absent, aside from a few split-second moments, making the action uncharacteristically flat. It's a serviceable action-comedy at worst, but with an extra dose of punches being pulled with its totalitarianism messaging. I wouldn't be this upset had it not been Wright, but it's too forgettable for such an amazing filmmaker.
PAIGE
For most of the runtime of The Running Man, I was quite entertained. The cat and mouse chases and action sequences were fun as hell throughout, and Glen Powell proves he has the charisma to be an action star. Where the movie goes off the rails for me is in its third act. By that point it becomes tiresome, as it continuously beats you over the head with its themes, and the story has nowhere near the depth needed to make me fully care about what it’s trying to say. Overall, it has a lot of ingredients to be a great action movie, but it’s missing the impact needed to leave a lasting impression.
BODE
I’ll probably always have some affection for director Edgar Wright given that he’s made some of my favourite movies ever. But between Last Night in Soho and, now, The Running Man, he’s on an alarming trend of being unable to stick the landing after promising starts. Though it lacks his signature style and its cultural commentary isn’t particularly insightful, the first two-thirds of this are still pretty fun, thanks to some solid setpieces and a game cast. However, the third act becomes so overstuffed that it practically runs out of steam before its conclusion. It’s serviceable as is, but I had hoped for more.
ROBERT
It is interesting how “fun,” in terms of a movie-watching experience, can span the spectrum of positive to negative based on our expectations. For Edgar Wright and The Running Man, given the climate of 2025 action movies, fun shouldn’t just be written off; however, given our history with this filmmaker, it is. The practicality of the action setpieces and the bombast are worthy of Wright’s imagination, but the inability to thread the tonal needle keeps everything off kilter. Confusion abounds, especially in the third act when the plot is dragged out illogically and without purpose. Cool film, but it lacks a binding agent.
QUENTIN
Given director Edgar Wright’s reputation, it’s surprising The Running Man is so flat. On paper, it has all the elements of an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride: a fun premise, excellent source material, rich and timely themes, a skilled filmmaker in Wright, and Glen Powell’s roguish charisma. However, in execution, those elements come together to generate dispassionate indifference. It boasts a fast-paced glossiness that sublimates a fun time at the movies, but that shine is a superficial shell covering for a rushed story, complete lack of character depth, and action scenes that barely get the blood pumping. Overall, The Running Man is forgettably fine, but ultimately disappointing.
NICK
Director Edgar Wright paired with Glen Powell to remake one of Arnold’s classics? That should be easy money. Yet, somehow, The Running Man is uninspired and forgettable. Wright commits a cardinal cinema sin by showing what this film could have been through the Michael Cera scene (the clear highlight), which emphasizes just how flat everything else looks and feels. Even Glen Powell struggles to elevate the material beyond middling. I had high hopes for this one, but it’s, at best, no better than some of the straight to streaming actioners we've gotten this year.
Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick, Adriano, and Amarú join Matt to take A Bigger Bite out of The Running Man HERE.