The Running Man (Glen Powell version)

[Britpopbaby]

Really loved it. Highly enjoyable and loved Michael Cera’s character and his ‘section’ of the film which reminded me of Home Alone.

I've been curious about this one. Is it closer to the book, or the Arnie attempt OP?

And does it have the advert "Rick folks smoke Dokes"? Or is that most likely banned now... 😅

im not sure I would recommend it - it was way more bleak and violent than I even anticipated.

I have not read the book or seen the Arnie version for ages however the film does make a nod to that version. What I would say is that it feels a film for today in some of the content created like AI. I wasn’t sure why to expect but I really enjoyed it. I would say the ending feels a little rushed. All together it’s a fun film.

Saw it today. Loved it! Love the original as well though. Very different films.

Definitely like Glen Powell though 💓

Haven't read the book since the 90s but fully loved it.

Very 80s vibe, lots of Stephen King Easter eggs and Glen Powell is ace in it.

Follows the book really well. I loved it. Very violent though so if you don't like that kind of film I'd not watch it.

Loved the original, this re make is a mess. Started OK but why not have the comraderie of the team running together? The other 2 characters were just lost. The hunters i didn't really identify like the original, they only really made a character out of one of them. The booby trapped house was ridiculous, what was that guys issue with the network, something about his Dad?? Then there was a tiny bit dropped in about radiation and children cancer, again not really elaborated on. Amelia i didnt care about at all, were we supposed to like her? What happened to her? Did she survive the drop? Then no definite finale, what happened to the plane? Totally unimpressed, back to Arne for me

I'll definitely go and see it. The novel was pretty bleak and dystopian if I recall, and the violence wouldn't be a problem.

If you loved the novel you'll love the film

The earlier film bore little or no relation to the book @Hohofortherobbers and this is a film of the book, although it changes the ending and I would have liked to have seen the original one (ditto The Long Walk a few months back).

I saw it earlier in the week and enjoyed it, but it felt a bit thin and inconsequential, and while all the performances were good I don't think Glen Powell was the best choice. It was all there, but underdeveloped IMHO.

I was hoping for 'Treadmill To Bucks', @Tomatocutwithazigzagedge 😁

Yes Treadmill to Bucks!! And there was one called "Swim the crocodiles" wasn't there? 😅

The book had some pretty scary predictions on the future (as its now 2025) in relation to human survival game shows, new dollars aka cryptocurrency, technicos (techbros) etc.

Think I might reread the novel before seeing it!

Yes! Swim The Crocodiles 🤣

I dug out my copy of the Bachman Books from 1987 thinking exactly the same; it also has the now-out-of-print Rage (spot the Charlie Decker reference in the new film!) so that will do me fine for a few nights now it's dark and miserable ☺️

Couldn’t agree with this more. I much preferred it to the earlier version which imo bears little resemblance to the source material.

I’ve not seen the original film, but recently re-read the book in preparation for this.

I’m assuming they’ve changed the ending because of 9/11?

My concern is that I’m not great with violence on film. If I was fine with The Long Walk (which I loved) will I be okay with this?

That’s because it’s much closer to the book than the previous 2 versions

I didn't think it was particularly bleak or violent (compared with watching children being shot in the head at point blank range, and I enjoyed The Long Walk too), and neither film compared with the book when it comes to 'dark'. There are some fights and shoot em ups in RM but it's all pretty cartoonish.

That said, I went to a 25th anniversary screening of Requiem For A Dream a couple of weeks ago so it's possible my frame of reference for 'bleak' is on the skewed side 😁.

Thank you. I've never seem Requiem for a Dream, so must admit that reference went straight over my cultural vacuum of a head!

yeah I assumed the ending changed because of 9/11. I read the book many year ago and remember it being really bleak, absolutely no relation to the Arnie movie at all, but I enjoyed it a lot. Especially the random bits of Glasgow pooping up unexpectedly, and very recognizable they were too!

Just saw this and really loved it. Love Edgar Wright so was glad that his signature genre bending/goofy humour/ pastiche came through. Glen Powell was a good mix of action hero/comedy. Played up to it well.

Haven’t seen the original nor the book, and having read upthread kind of glad as I would have probably just been comparing it, although I probably missed a lot of the references/easter eggs.

Watched and enjoyed. Agreed that it has elements of Home Alone in the big country house scene.