Review of The Running Man (1987) by Renzo V — 10 Jan 2014

"SCHWARZENEGGER RUNS FOR HIS LIFE".

- Based on the novel by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King), 'The Running Man' is a science fiction action movie from 1987, starring non-other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. I've read the book a couple of years ago, but I must say it is totally different from the movie. Lots of other films use the same concept: a reality show where people have to kill or be killed. Unlike the novel the characters are a bit cartoonish, especially the villains. The 'I'll be back'-quote is a reference to 'The Terminator'.

It's 2017, disobeying an order police helicopter pilot Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger) is wrongfully accused of killing a group of innocent people. After being arrested he has to work at a heavily guarded mine. One day he and two inmates, rebel fighter William Laughlin and technical wonder Harold Weiss, are able to escape. When Richards breaks in into the apartment of his brother to find shelter, he gets busted by the new owner Amber Mendez. Holding her hostage he tells her that he is an innocent man. The only thing left for him is to flee the country. At the airport a terrified Amber gets the attention of some security guards, who are capture Richards.

Because they had escaped, Ben Richards and his two companions Laughlin and Weiss are forced to participate in 'The Running Man', a popular television show where criminals running for freedom are being hunted by 'Stalkers'. While they are being chased by professional killers with names like 'Subzero' and 'Dynamo', Amber Mendez stumbles upon the truth: Ben Richards is an innocent man...