The release of Edgar Wright’s The Running Man is nearly upon us, and the first reactions to the Stephen King adaptation have dropped. As expected, it sounds like Wright has delivered a highly entertaining flick that is very different from the 1987 adaptation starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Our own JimmyO said, “The Running Man features Glen Powell in a performance that only continues to prove what the actor is capable of. Edgar Wright takes a slightly different approach taking on an action film that is vastly different from Arnold’s turn. It works, but runs a bit long with a few too many characters. Still a crowd pleaser judging from the screening I attended.“
Collider’s Perri Nemiroff said she was eager to see a more faithful adaptation of King’s novel. “Not only do Edgar Wright and co. deliver big on that front, but he manages to do so while still making it feel like an Edgar Wright movie,” she wrote. “He’s got a remarkably firm handle on the style and tone of the film, and that’s what allows it to be both bombastic high-energy fun, and also just grounded enough to ensure you care and take the story home with you after the credits roll.“
Rachel Leishman added that the film “was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. Action packed, emotional, and a star vehicle for Glen Powell. Edgar Wright really bottled magic with Stephen King’s novel and this is going to be an instant classic! It just fucking rules, man!!!“
FilmLand Empire called The Running Man a “brilliantly old-school blockbuster: fast-paced, action-packed yet character-driven, with a chaotic energy reminiscent of SCOTT PILGRIM. Glenn Powell burns up the screen, angry, masculine, funny and with a proper film star charisma. Loved it!“
Andrew Korpan even claimed that Wright has improved on King’s novel. “He trimmed the weakest parts of the book and even took swings and improved upon it.“
As we know, these types of initial reactions tend to skew positive, but I think many of us have been particularly excited about this one.
The official synopsis for The Running Man: “In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.“
The film will hit theaters on November 14.
