INTRO:

I’m Hank, longtime podcaster, filmmaker, and YouTuber, and this is my review of The Running Man. This is a spoiler-filled review of the movie so you’ve been warned.

CORRECTION:

• Predator Badlands dropped off the face of the earth and looks like it will lose money

BUDGET:

The Running Man has an estimated budget of $110 million dollars.

• Currently bombing

SETTINGS:

The world of The Running Man is a combination of grungy and futuristic. It blends perfectly with the concept of the movie which is both dystopian and a technologically advanced surveillance state. I really liked the dark grungy look of the rundown areas juxtaposed to the high-end studio we’re introduced to. I can’t say enough good things about the choices made.

CHARACTERS:

• Glen Powell as Ben Richards
• Josh Brolin as Dan Killian
• William H. Macy as Molie Jernigan
• Lee Pace as Evan McCone (the lead hunter)
• Colman Domingo as the game show host Bobby T. Thompson
• Michael Cera as Elton Parrakis plays a character with an axe to grind
• Scott Pilgrim!
• Emilia Jones as Amelia Williams
• Her role is the worst part of the movie!
• We get a lecture on wealth and how wrong it is.
• Daniel Ezra as Bradley Throckmorton
• He’s an anonymous YouTuber type character exposing truth.
• Jayme Lawson stars as Sheila Richards
• She does fine acting
• However I don’t believe their relationship

HITS:

• Fun Twink cereal lifetime supply pay off
• Bold choices in direction and cinematography
• Cinematography when Ben matches the wanted poster
• BobbyT. is great!
• Josh Brolin is fantastic!
• Great reveal when it comes to the Lee Pace character
• The overall look and feel of the sets
• The YouTube style videos and conspiracy style content
• Resisting the establishment

MISSES:

• Conflicted character actions
• Ben spares a vicious hunter after killing others
• Too much misdirection
• I don’t buy the relationship between Ben and Sheila.
• There’s simply no chemistry
• The sick baby trope is uninspired
• Stop lecturing your audience!
• You can include themes without telling people what to think
• The movie is too long

MOVIE SCORE: 6/10

DIRECTION: C (Edgar Wright)

WRITING: C (Steven King adaptation) (Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright)

CINEMATOGRAPHY: B (Chung Chung-hoon)

POST PRODUCTION (score/sfx/color grade): B

REWATHABILITY: C