318, The Running Man

The Running Man (circa 1987) featuring the larger than life Arnold Schwarzenegger was, and probably still is one my go-to favourite films.  Easily watchable - great characterisations and a cracking plot idea - I remember seeing this 18 cert film way before I was supposed too, and have loved it ever since.

So when they announced a re-make I was excited but also hesitant, how would they do this - how good could it be with modern effects and staging and would it take over from the original in my mind.  Well, Sadly - it's not really worked out that way for me.

Yes they kept a few of the main characters - Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick / Chad Powers) plays Ben Richards - but instead of a betrayed law enforcement officer running for his freedom, he plays a desperate dad, needing money for medication for his daughter.  He's a loving and doting husband and father, as well as a very very angry man - sometimes overly so.

Dan (not Damon) Killian returns in the form of Josh Brolin but instead of the upfront egotistical showman, brilliantly portrayed by Richard Dawson in the original - this version of Killian is more a sneaky back-room Exec-Producer instead of the up-front headliner.  There is a nice nod to Arnie, appearing on banknotes as the assumed American President, but other than that - the original characters come to an end.

The Running Man show is still comparable, but instead of a game zone / gladiatorial arena that sees episodes start and end in the same night - this time, Runners have 30 days to stay alive with 'Hunters' (and the public) hot on their tail - able to take them down anytime / anywhere and all filmed by hovering robot-cams.  Win the show, and by 'Win' I mean stay alive for the duration -  then $1B is the prize - a tidy sum for a desperate man.

I wont go into to much detail about how Richards ends up on the show etc as that is all explained quite early on, but I think the biggest disappointment for me was the replacement of the Stalkers with the new, Hunters.

The Stalkers are what made the original so good.  Even now - Dynamo, Buzz-Saw, Captain Freedom, Fireball and Sub-Zero were all totally awesome.  Loved by the studio audience in a "The Price is Right" style gameshow - Killian's engagement with them, the audience and the Runners was a joy and never got old, even after watching it dozens of times.

The new Hunters are just a bunch of balaclava clad hit-men, with no real personality or gimmicks to differentiate them and you didn't really care for any of them which did dilute the pressure Richards is faced with, in what seems a bit more of a 'relaxed' chase - albeit he is always required to be on his guard.

The original doesn't let up - from the prison break, to Richard's capture and entrance into the show - his pairing with Weiss and Laughlin, witty banter with Killian, the Shows 'lame' production team, battling the stalkers - the hidden revolution going on behind closed doors (with Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame), even managing to meet and get romantic with one of his running mates (we all loved Maria Conchita Alonso in that yellow spandex suit!), Arnie and the original just gave us so much more.

But this blog isn't about that one - and the new one does have some good bits to discuss.  Michael Cera  plays a helpful contact / aide to Richards and when discovered - his 'Home Alone' style house traps do add a few giggles, more for Cera than the audience but it's a fast paced 15 minutes that should have gone on longer than it did.

Another highlight was Alpine's new A290 EV that makes a star appearance towards then end of the movie & for a electric mini-hatchback, looks totally awesome!

All in all, as a standalone movie I suppose it's okay - the action (when it happens) is good, as are the fight sequences and Powell is a pretty decent headliner.  The end seemingly comes out of nowhere - with almost no 'heroic return' to the studio for Richards to get revenge to the extent you saw in 87' at least - but it's there in part.  

As a remake I think it's a poor attempt.  I can see they probably didn't want to make it too similar - but the premise of the game itself was diluted too much for me and they lost me with the Hunters.

Arnie famously used his "I'll be Back" line in his version as Killian see's him off into the arena - and historically, this line never get's a comeback but Killian's quip of "only in a re-run" was the one time someone seemingly got a one up on him.  

Well, if this was the re-run - I'll give it a miss.  Sometimes re-makes work; The re-imagined He-Man: Masters of the Universe (Blog #316) was fantastic, it's just a shame this was the complete opposite.

Fancy watching the trailer?  Click below: