The Running Man (2025) Film Review: Underwhelming Edgar Wright dystopian action/thriller misfire

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In the near future, America is an anarchistic police state run by corporate media networks, where most people live in poverty.

Blacklisted blue-collar worker Ben Richards (Glen Powell), desperate to save his sick infant daughter, joins a game show where contestants are pursued by 'hunters', as well as ordinary citizens, to win a huge cash prize.

The Running Man (2025) is the second cinematic adaptation of Stephen King's 1982 novel of the same name, which was previously brought to the big screen in the 1987 film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the leading role.

This 'remake', described as a more faithful adaptation of King's novel, is produced and directed by British legend Edgar Wright, the creative visionary behind The Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, with a screenplay co-written by Michael Bacall.

2025 has been a year rich in Stephen King adaptations, such as the similarly dystopian thriller The Long Walk (2025), as well as the uplifting The Life of Chuck (2025), so fans of this acclaimed writer's works have certainly been spoilt for choice.

Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a down-on-his-luck everyman living in a dystopian society, where entering popular game shows is one of the only ways to earn money enough to survive poverty

Therefore, it is disappointing that this latest adaptation is so unremarkable and easily forgettable. The movie opens strongly enough with slick introductions to this bleak vision of the future and our underdog protagonist struggling to provide for his family; however, it severely lacks any of the signature Edgar Wright energy and wit he is so well known for. There is no evidence of sharp dialogue, fun filmmaking techniques or any snappy editing.

Despite quick jumping between multiple different set pieces, the film never quite manages to find its footing, exhibiting choppy pacing with too much downtime for the lead and disengaging, mediocre action set pieces. The movie's most glaring issue is its conflicting tones, which can confuse viewers with its constant whiplash between on-the-nose absurdist comedy, heartfelt drama and satirical commentary.

Any genuine attempts at meaning or emotionally connecting with audiences are bogged down and get lost within its own inflated plot. The movie definitely needed to be streamlined for the final edit, as this remake surpasses the 1980s version by an extra half hour, which is never really justified in a narrative sense.

Although it can be argued that Wright and Bacall deliberately aimed to overtly convey the story's themes of criticising the media and corporate culture, this in itself is a problem, as audiences are well-versed in this commentary and are repeatedly knocked over the head with 'the message' here.

There is a distinct feeling of smugness and triumph to the film's voice, which often falls flat, emphasised all the more by an anti-climactic ending that leaves more questions than answers.

Josh Brolin (right) plays a supporting role as the comically evil producer of 'The Running Man', a show which forces competitors to outrun trained hunters, or be killed

This unsatisfying screenplay also unfortunately extends to the lacklustre performances. Leading man Glen Powell does adequately embody the archetypal action hero with likeable charisma and good looks; however, he feels miscast for this role. Whilst most of the blame falls on the poor script and character writing, Ben Richards is not an interesting protagonist, lacking any meaningful depth or substance to make us root for him.

He also feels distinctly one-dimensional and often erratic in his personality traits. One moment, he is a loving father and the next, a rebellious, anti-authoritarian who takes unnecessary risks during the games. To phrase it bluntly, Powell does not possess the acting abilities to match these complicated inconsistencies of the character, coming across as unconvincing and artificial as a result.

Likewise, Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo both turn in decent performances as the slimy show producer and show host, respectively; however, these also feel superficial and by the numbers. Again, this issue is mostly down to the problematic screenplay, which offers nothing new or gripping for viewers to latch on to. The characters are all generic and not even as memorable as the cheesy charm their 1980s counterparts shamelessly engaged with.

The 2025 adaptation raises the stakes for the show, as competitors are chucked into the real world, hiding from the general public as well as the official hunters, causing Richards to be creative in his attempts to win the game

Despite these numerous setbacks, the film does deserve praise for its impressive production design and very well-realised futuristic world. There is a large scope and geographical breadth covered throughout the movie, with admirable attention to detail applied by the production team. There is a nice balance between practical and CGI effects, which helps to convince audiences of a real, working society which oppresses most and rewards few.

2025's The Running Man is a difficult film to review due to the overwhelmingly flat and uncompelling aura surrounding it. One would easily be forgiven for not being able to identify this as an Edgar Wright movie, as there is none of his recognisable style present here at all. This film feels like another corporate product rolled out for the modern audience with no clear vision or creativity in sight.

Fans of the original novel, or the 1987 adaptation, are strongly advised to wait for streaming, instead of paying the big bucks to catch this one in cinemas. The worst crime a film can commit is boring the viewer, which, unfortunately, the movie manages to achieve with its confused tone and plot.

Bring on the '80s cheese!

Check out the trailer for The Running Man (2025) below, and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!