The Running Man (2025) Movie Review

The Running Man (2025) Movie Review: Scattered Thrills

When you have Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Edgar Wright, and Stephen King in one project, expectations are sky-high and for the most part, The Running Man delivers. It’s a rollercoaster of thrills and emotion, blending social satire, spectacle, and survival in a near-future world that feels eerily relevant to ours. But at over two hours long and juggling multiple tones and plot devices, it often feels like a master of all trades yet perfects none in the process.

Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is a struggling working-class man desperate to save his sick daughter. Out of options, he’s persuaded by producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) to join The Running Man which is the most popular and deadliest network game where three contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by the entire world. What begins as an act of desperation soon turns into rebellion as Ben’s defiance and survival transforms him into an unlikely symbol of resistance against an oppressive system.

While it’s primarily an action film, The Running Man smartly leans into its reality television aspect. The broadcast segments bring an exhilarating layer of satire and unexpected comedy making you feel like you’re watching the show live. Colman Domingo absolutely steals the spotlight as Bobby T, the charismatic yet sinister host of The Running Man showcasing the absolute best and worst of the society within the movie's narrative. Though Glen Powell headlines with his most dynamic and memorable performance yet and proving he’s more than capable as a leading man, Domingo’s presence is magnetic that he easily was our favorite among the talented cast.

Where the film falters for us is in its pacing and scope. Its massive ambition became an unwieldy mess sometimes unveiling its struggles front and center as the film drags in certain segments. While scenes are frenetic, they occasionally feel disconnected and tonally different a lot of times. Still, even when it stumbles, The Running Man remains wildly entertaining as a blood-pumping spectacle that captures the thrill of the hunt and the danger of the spectacle itself.

Rating: 3 and a half reels