Hollywood still hasn't learned two lessons, (1) Edgar Wright doesn't make big blockbusters for normies, and (2) despite his leading man looks and his talent as an actor, Powell still hasn't convinced audiences he is a movie star. All the attempts to make Powell the next Tom Cruise don't seem to be working. It might be he's more of a Colin Farrell, a handsome character actor more destined to get nominated for awards than head a major action franchise.
Back to Wright. I really enjoy his films and find his quirky style right up my alley. But like Scott Pilgrim and Last Night in Soho, The Running Man falls too far into the oddball camp than the Hollywood blockbuster camp. Sadly the studio wants this to be a mainstream hit so the film always feels like it's being pulled too much in that direction which takes away from the charms it has as a Wright film. The balance never quite feels right. I found it an enjoyable romp but the messaging was too heavy handed and sometimes felt a bit disingenuous. And the ending, which cowardly avoids the ending from the source material, is a real disappointment.
Back to Powell. He is on the mark here (as is the rest of the strong cast - Domingo gives another star turn). He has the swagger/body/face/screen presence of the leading man this film is dying for. I hope one day he gets his break cause he's the real deal. I think he is good here with what the film gives him. But the problem is the film is too busy being an action movie to do what it really needs to be, a truly prescient comment on modern media distraction. King's novel on which this is based was set in 205 and its story feels like King had time travelled to this year it is so damn accurate. This Running Man film wants to be too much fun to truly feel like it hits its mark. Perhaps how close to reality this "reality" show is is just too cynically depressing for a major studio.
So The Running Man is fun, up until it chickens out with its ending, and hopefully one day Powell will be the star he should be. While I had hopes this film would be more than it is, I can watch it and enjoy it for what it is because Wright does infuse it with a watchability and cleverness that transcends the overall studio-ness of this particular production.
The Running Man
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Sean Hayes, Katy O'Brian
Director: Edgar Wright
Writers: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright
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