"But the new Running Man can't top or beat the 1987 Running Man because the original film is the most unique cocktail of truly earnest social commentary and batsh*t campy magic. It has recently hit Netflix and is worth your time for the simple reason that it's aged extremely well, and despite having a positive reputation among genre fans, it still feels underrated. Mild spoilers ahead."
"The reason The Running Man is so great isn't that, in spite of its kitschy, bizarre tone, there's a deeper, more thoughtful movie. Instead, The Running Man is perfect because it is self-aware enough to make its hyperbolic, campy aspects part of its overall vibe. If you were to take the in-universe TV commercials out of The Running Man and insert them into the original RoboCop (which came out the same year!), you wouldn't notice any real tonal difference."
"This November, Glen Powell will step into the shoes of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role of Ben Richards, the titular man-on-the-move in a reboot of The Running Man. But can the new Edgar Wright-directed movie truly top this 1987 cult classic? The answer is, of course, no. All Wright's new Running Man can do is be completely different, something that is perhaps great on its own merit."
Glen Powell will portray Ben Richards in Edgar Wright's upcoming reboot of The Running Man, which aims for a different tone and closer fidelity to Stephen King's 1982 Richard Bachman novel. The 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger combines earnest social commentary with intentionally campy, hyperbolic spectacle, making its satirical elements integral to the film's identity. The film's in-universe TV commercials and exaggerated violence serve as part of a cohesive vibe that aged well and remains underrated. Comparisons to RoboCop highlight a shared thematic concern about corporate media and governance, positioning The Running Man as an iconic, genre-defining work.
Read at Inverse
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