“Stop filming me!”
Interestingly enough, this 2025 remake/adaptation is a more faithful reproduction of its source material than the 1987 version. The 1987 adaptation, while popular, took liberties when it came to the main character’s backstory and motivations, such as him being a wrongfully accused and convicted policeman getting his shot at freedom by participating in a TV game show where convicts called Runners must battle killers for their freedom. In the 2025 remake, Ben Richards, now played by Glen Powell, is a blacklisted blue-collar worker living in dystopian anarchistic police state with his wife and infant Cathy. Unable to afford medicine for Cathy’s influenza, Ben attends tryouts for the network’s game shows, where his anger, misanthropy, and physical fitness see him selected for “The Running Man”, their most popular and dangerous show. That backstory is much more in line with the 1982 Stephen King novel. Rounding out the cast are Josh Brolin, William H Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, and Colman Domingo. Arnold Schwarzeneggar even makes a surprise appearance. It’s quick, though. Blink and you could miss it.
2025 has been a prolific year for the bestselling author, as four of his works have been adapted into movies this year, with others being The Long Walk, The Life of Chuck (based on the novella If It Bleeds), and The Monkey (based on a short story collection Skeleton Crew). Throw on top of that the It: Welcome Derry and The Institute television series, which also premiered — I’d say it’s been a very prolific year indeed. As I previously mentioned, this film represents a more faithful adaptation of the novel, and I for one found that to be a good thing. In preparation for this screening, I re-familiarized myself with the first remake, and after seeing this more faithful version, I found this to be the more enjoyable experience. I prefer when adaptations accurately depict their source material. After all, isn’t that the point to begin with? If you aren’t going to honor what came before, why not just present the story as an original idea?
I understand that sometimes liberties have to be taken, but there has to be a limit. In this case of the Powell version, I believe the right call was made by sticking with a known quantity. This is not to say that some liberties weren’t taken in the latter half of the story. However, these alternations did not alter the direction of the story, for which I was grateful.
“I’m still here, ya s&#@-eaters!”
I’ve been gaining more appreciation for Glen Powell in recent years. He’s been putting in the work. And this film is just the latest example of him putting in the work. This was a very physical role, and his character is not a trained soldier, so it meant a lot of running and barely surviving confrontations. Such was the case with the explosive confrontation at the hostel. Powell maneuvered that sequence in a very organic and entertaining manner. I was surprised to see Daniel Ezra making his return to the big screen after ten years of steady television appearances, to include leading his own TV series. He made most of his time on screen, too, as an anti-network activist who acts as ally to Powell. However, above all others, I would have to say that the character I most enjoyed was Michael Cera’s. Some how his character managed to be the most level-headed yet reckless of all the characters, and it was just so much fun to watch his antics during the home invasion.
The film does start to drag a bit after this, as it begins to set up the latter half of Powell’s character arc. However, things are eventually brought back to a point with an eleventh-hour twist regarding the main hunter character and the action that followed. It is around this time that there was some deviation from the source material, particularly when it comes to two characters’ ultimate fate, but again, this was not a deal breaker.
You know that you are one the right track when the author praises it. Stephen King, who had voiced his disdain for the original film, is on record for praising the 2025 adaptation, saying that it’s “fantastic” and a “bipartisan thrill ride.” He supposedly even went as far as to call it “the Die Hard for our time.” Getting praise from Stephen King himself — I don’t think the film’s director, Edgar Wright, could ask for more than that.
The film is facing some stiff competition this weekend, premiering against the latest sequel of a popular film franchise. However, I like this film’s chances of being the big box office winner this weekend. It is an action-filled thrill ride and quite the notch in the belts of Edgar Wright and Glen Powell alike.
