There has been plenty of hype surrounding The Running Man, the latest film from writer and director Edgar Wright, adapting the novel of the same name written by Stephen King (under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982). Following the release of Last Night in Soho in 2021, Wright fully committed himself to bringing the novel to life. There hasn’t been an adaptation of The Running Man since the 1982 film, directed by Paul Michael Glaser and starring Arnold Schwarznager. Wright has described the remake as being “more faithful” to the novel than the previous adaptation, though whether that makes it a better movie has finally been revealed.
The Rotten Tomatoes score for The Running Man has finally been revealed now that the review embargo has dropped. At the time of this writing, the review aggregate website has the film listed as having a 64% “fresh” rating based on 56 reviews. There will likely be more reviews submitted throughout the day before The Running Man can become “certified fresh,” though this current rating reflects that opinions on Wright’s latest movie are mostly positive. MovieWeb’s own review by Julian Roman said that The Running Man has a “strong start,” before eventually “going off the rails,” citing the pacing as a main issue with the movie.
Alex Harrison of Screen Rant called Wright a “consummate entertainer” along with Glen Powell in his positive review of the film, giving it a 7/10 while describing how impressive it is that The Running Man makes its dark premise “as guilt-free as they possibly could.” Other less-stellar reviews on Rotten Tomatoes pointed out that the film suffers from an identity crisis, blending 80s action tropes with a desire to provide in-depth social commentary.
‘The Running Man’ May End Up Being an Entertaining but Mixed Bag
Glen Powell has had an impressive career streak in recent years, taking off in popularity following his supporting role in Top Gun: Maverick. The actor showcased his range and ability as a performer with the Richard Linklater film Hit Man, and just this year made waves in his performance in the Hulu sports series Chad Powers. With The Running Man, it seems that Powell is attempting to cement his status as an action star, especially since he has been known to collaborate and take advice from Tom Cruise, an actor who has made a name for himself in stunt performances in action movies.
Now, The Running Man looks to be trying to strike a balance between exciting action and more profound and intense themes. Powell’s diverse filmography reflects a similar balance, with a mixture of character-driven roles and blockbuster action entertainment. However, the first wave of reviews for the movie seem to be a mixed bag, as Wright’s ambitions for spectacle and profundity may have led the film to having an identity crisis with some pacing issues. Still, 64% (at the time of this writing) isn’t a terrible score, and while it may be the lowest in Wright’s filmography, The Running Man at least seems to be an entertaining enough time at the movies.