Ah Edgar Wright, britains most beloved movie nerd director. This could have been something spectacular but unfortunately suffers from pacing issues, ironic really considering the film is about Running, humor that falls flat, action that is pretty boring in all honesty and a hastily wrapped up ending.
I haven't read the original King book and from what i gather, this version sticks very closely to the source material, I have however seen the Schwarzenegger version many many times and while watching this new adaptation, I couldn't help feeling the urge to just watch the 80s one instead. Its way more fun, way more action packed, and the humor works wonderfully even if the film itself isn't considered a cinematic classic. The biggest issues with The Running Man, isn't Glenn Powell, he's actually pretty damn good, its the insistence on trying to copy the satire that Paul Verhoeven wove into Robocop and Starship Troopers, most notably Robocop, it just doesn't work and feels forced and over the top as well as some Michael Bay style obvious product placement.
The action is fairly generic with one stand out stunt where Richards launches off a bridge as a huge explosion erupts behind him. The rest of the actions just feel generic, no real stakes and meh choreography. A far cry from the stylistic choreography of Baby Driver, and especially coming from a filmmaker well versed in action cinema (You ain't seen Bad Boys 2?), he kinda fucked up.
As a fan of Spaced and the Cornetto trilogy, it pains me to say that Wright struggles without Pegg. Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim, Last Night In Soho, well maybe not so much Scott Pilgrim, Don't really show Wright as the director he could be. Had he been allowed to let fucking loose on Running Man, I think it could have been amazing, sadly, its pretty mediocre.
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