'The Running Man' Conjures a Dystopian Vision of America That's Still Not as Bad as Reality

"Released in 1987, The Running Man is one of about a thousand sci-fi action movies of its decade to open with an ominous title crawl that reads something like this: THE YEAR IS 2012. PETROLEUM WARS HAVE DECIMATED THE ECONOMY. THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLS ALL KNOWLEDGE. BEING IN LOVE OR PETTING A DOG IS ILLEGAL. RATIONING LAWS MEAN THE PUBLIC IS ONLY ALLOWED TO FEEL TWO FEELINGS A DAY. UNTIL NOW ..."

"The film takes place in a recognizable not-so-distant future dystopia, where the rabble are placated with bread-and-circus television programming. The top-rated show on the planet is The Running Man, a hyper-violent, live-broadcast game show in which "runners" (typically convicted criminals) attempt to escape a colorful cadre of professional assassins called "stalkers." By navigating a series of themed arenas (there's a fire one, a chain saw one, an ice hockey one, etc.), and taking out the stalkers in turn, the runners can (allegedly) win their freedom."

"Equal parts Wrestlemania and The Most Dangerous Game, The Running Man established a template for everything from Battle Royale to The Hunger Games. More than influential, it was notable for its wry, at times ruthless humor. The Running Man's host is the charismatic Killian (played by real-life Family Feud host Richard Dawson), who dazzles his slobbish studio audience with his oily charm."

The 1987 The Running Man imagines a 2012 dystopia where petroleum wars and government control create a populace pacified by violent television. The top-rated show, The Running Man, pits convicted "runners" against professional "stalkers" across themed arenas for a chance at freedom. The original film mixed brutal spectacle with wry, ruthless humor and caricatured TV hosts like Killian, played by Richard Dawson, while satirizing media-driven bloodlust. Edgar Wright's contemporary remake is described as violent and incoherent and struggles to function as satire in a present-day media environment shaped by right-wing narratives and reality-TV-style ICE raids.

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