Rod and Karen review Edgar Wright’s reboot of the 80’s sci-fi action flick, “The Running Man.” They also discuss movie trailers and your feedback on Predator: Badlands.
Spoiled Reviews: (Protected Content)
SMR 567: The Running Man
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hey Rod & Karen,
I liked the movie overall, but also agree on all your points of what’s good and bad with the film.
In the book Steven King does talk about racism. The theme of the book is how classism, racism, and corporate power are collectively destroying society. Ben Richards’s family isn’t Black. And Domingo’s Thompson character is White and Brolin’s Killian is Black. If I’m remembering correctly Richards learns about the destructiveness of racism and questions his own biases from dealing with Killian and the time he spends with the brothers and their mother and sick sister.
From these casting choices I assumed Edgar Wright wasn’t comfortable dealing with race so he must of tried to make it a non-factor so he could deal with the classism and corporate power, which which Whited dudes are usually more comfortable talking about.
Also, the book ends not in a revolution of the people, but Richards destroying the network and killing Killian by flying the plane into the building. Because of 9/11 that ending on film probably isn’t possible, or at least is hard to get a major studio to green light. So Wright and his team should have spent time creating a proper ending, knowing they couldn’t do that dark one from the book.
As someone who enjoyed seeing Glen Powell’s butt twice this year. I was enjoying this movie until the very end, I felt if Edgar was going to go that route with the brother narrating how Ben Richards survives, do a Mission Impossible and show him ejecting while the brother is speaking.
This review opened my 3rd eye which had been covered due to Edgar Wright’s comic con panel. His messaging in this movie is now looking very white British preaching to America. I wasn’t blown by it, but I did enjoy Glen, Colman Domingo and Michael Cera’s performances. Yeah that Kardashian hate felt weird too. This did feel closer to the book than the 1987 version but still… can’t unsee it now.
I also find it fascinating how you get a few trailers that I don’t see at my end like the Chris Hemsworth movie and the one starring Ayo Edebiri. I’m assuming that No Other Choice will be playing at your theater as you haven’t mentioned seeing a trailer. I wonder how they decide such?
Solid review!
Man, it’s true, this film has no dick. I mean, yes, this is The Running Man, but why is this shit so oddly generic. Between the bland Hunters & that needless ending, something really happened behind the scenes that made this film not be fully realized. Colman Dolmingo & Josh Brolin knew the assignment & I’ll even give Michael Cera some love, as well, just, man, this thing has no juice or flair. 1987 film won’t win any award for sharp dialogue or story but it played into the silliness, which helped make it subject matter stand out.
This thing is more flat than a film edited for content on CBS, which is now owned by Skydance.
Somebody give Edgar Wright his powers back.