Review of The Running Man (1987) by Jason C — 17 Apr 2016

The Running Man is classic Arnold - jam packed with cheesy acting, the classic one liners, and plenty of action - this time, actually fulfilling a decent overall story but filled with a bland, dark atmosphere and feel.

In 2019, Ben Richards is wrongfully accused of killing hundreds of innocent civillians, forced to participate in America's top rated television show The Running Man, a deadly gladiator combat oriented game show hosted by the slimy Killian. Arnold and his friends must fight for themselves against numerous "stalkers" and killers.

The Running Man is just average. Nothing too special about it and not too much to say, it's decent but rather forgettable. Arnold delivers on his consistent badass performance yet again, playing the same kind of role in almost every action film he's in, but the other actors are a bit iffy - Richard Dawson is charming and hilarious and definitely stole the show. The Running Man has a compelling and interesting plot that isn't just an excuse for action eye candy and Arnold. However, the overall plot seems fine until it actually unravels its atmosphere - it feels very dark and even desolate, sort of, and gives off depressing vibes. Despite its promising overall storyline, an hour and a half of it can get very tiring and there's better Arnold scenarios under the same schtick out there. If you're looking for classic Arnold, The Running Man is for you - if you're looking for a classic action film, go for Terminator.