A dystopian flick with a sense of humor

It’s been some years (maybe a decade) since I read Stephen King’s short story. Probably about the same amount since I’ve seen the OG Running Man. I watched this with fresh eyes in that regard.

I am, however, a big reader of dystopian novels—I get the formula.

The 2025 remake of The Running Man doesn’t add much to the dystopian genre in terms of originality, but this might be the first time I’ve seen one with a sense of humor.

There’s a Glen Powell interview out there where he basically says he’s just having fun being an actor, and I can see that. His jovial nature makes it hard to see him as a desperate father beaten down by Big Brother (The Network), but it’s still hard to watch Powell act and not have a little smirk on your face.

Then there’s a fellow Running Man contestant played by Martin Herlihy, whom you may recognize if you’re knowledgeable of the SNL world. I’ve seen his face on the show itself in the pre-taped skits (he’s part of the comedy group Please Don’t Destroy), and a part in Happy Gilmore 2. I’m a huge Sandler fan, so I recognize the last name: Martin’s dad is Tim Herlihy, one of Sandler’s pals and current tour musician.

All that to say, he’s rooted in comedy. Herlihy plays a dumb, eager contestant who knows exactly what he’s getting into, yet never sees it coming.

His ridiculousness is somewhat mirrored in the third contestant, played by Katy O’Brian. She’s smarter and more determined than Contestant #1, but still dumb enough to have careless fun while being stalked by trained assassins.

Even the way Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) manipulates the video is kinda funny. Who would believe this shit? It almost borrows its absurdity from Idiocracy.

While the source material is a commentary on media manipulation, this Running Man is about the action. The poignant scenes seem less like a life lesson and more like a vehicle for pyrotechnics and fight scenes.

I’m not mad at it, though. Despite being pretty formulaic (and diverging from the original), it was kind of a fun romp. Like I said before, it’s hard to hate a Glen Powell performance. Josh Brolin plays the shit of a smug, egotistical producer. Colman Domingo just needs to be in everything. And Katy O’Brian and Martin Herlihy bring a dose of ridiculousness I didn’t know I needed.