Edgar Wright might not be the first director who screams Running Man reboot, but at home on 4k he really sticks the landing. Stripped of the Lycra body suit business that made Arnold Schwarzenegger iconic, this adaptation benefits from having Glen Powell front and centre. With a formidable work ethic and charisma to spare, Powell slips into the skin of Ben Richards with ease. Delivering grit, gags, and action chops in abundance alongside some iconic needle drops.
Josh Brolin also brings Oscar nominated gravitas to the action as network head Dan Killian oozing self-interest. He might skate a little too close to caricature, but Brolin channels just enough Ronny Cox from Robocop to make Killian worth the investment. Away from box office expectations and critical oversight The Running Man 2025 morphs into a solid piece of entertainment. One that never shies away from R-rated executions or the cash grab mentality of reality game shows.
However, audiences after another home-grown Edgar Wright project in The Running Man will be disappointed, because this is a studio film to its core. There is an efficiency to the action and a self-awareness of his source material, but anyone hoping for hints of Pegg and Frost in the tone best look elsewhere. As a filmmaker, Edgar Wright is so much more than the sum of his Cornetto trilogy, and if anything, The Running Man demonstrates versatility.
Image via Paramount Pictures
This is much more than a pay cheque effort from a British auteur with his eyes on a bigger prize. Guy Ritchie has branched out in recent years and done something similar, taking on big screen projects that seemed outside his wheelhouse, but just look at Young Sherlock. Last year, The Running Man reviews highlighted a problem that creatives have always come up against in cinema when it comes to global audiences; they like filmmakers to stay in their lane.
With a passion for the project that translates onto 4k, and a bonafide action star in the making who will be Making a Killing on big screens soon, The Running Man packs a surprising punch. An ensemble cast including an understated Lee Pace, off-kilter Michael Cera, and an off the chain Katy O’Brian only add fuel to that fire. Colman Domingo even throws down as Bobby T and puts the ‘f’ back in flamboyant, even if Glen Powell
rules the roost.
This is an actor on a mission who has inherited his work ethic from Tom Cruise. Mentored by the great man and following in those hallowed footsteps, it is only a matter of time before Glen Powell makes the transition from solid character actor to marquee player with options. The Running Man represents a stepping stone on that journey which shows progress and potential rather than perfection through his performance.
This might not be full on ‘80s satire due to a shift in cultural norms, but there are elements of social commentary woven in that fulfil the brief. Delivering a dystopian future with teeth that makes The Running Man another solid entry in Edgar Wright’s back catalogue. Not another slice of fried gold for sure, but a film with sleeper hit potential through DVD, digital download, and 4k UHD.
The Running Man Is Available on Digital, DVD, 4k, and 4UHD Steelbook now