Arnold Schwarzenegger made a name for himself in Hollywood as a top box- office draw in action oriented films. Many of his early efforts were mediocre and Schwarzenegger’s acting skill was rather weak. But fans showed up to watch his movies regardless, and he became a household name for the fast- paced thrillers he starred in. One of Schwarzenegger’s better films during this era was The Running Man, a futuristic film about a man’s fight for justice.

Movie Facts:

Rating: R
Director: Paul Michael Glaser
Screenplay/Writing Credits: Stephen King, Steven De Souza
Theatrical Release Date: November 13, 1987
Movie Length: 107 Minutes

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Alonzo, Richard Dawson, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland Van Lidth, Marvin McIntyre, Mick Fleetwood, Dweezil Zappa, Karen Hopkins, Yaphet Kotto, Gus Rethwisch, Toru Tanaka

Contents of This Movie:

The year is 2017. Government has taken over most aspects of civilian life in the United States, including all forms of communication such as television, radio, and the press. Lies and deception are part of everyday life and the people no longer know what is right and what is wrong. Entertainment is strictly controlled by the U.S. Department of Justice and one of the popular programs is called “The Running Man”- a television show where outlaws are supposedly given one last chance to win their freedom by fighting against a series of stalkers. The show is deceptive at its core, because no one really wins on this show. It serves as an entertaining way to rid the world of convicted convicts because every contestant has met certain death at the hands of one of the stalkers.

That is, until now.

Ben Richards (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a criminal, but he has been falsely convicted. He is placed in prison but escapes, maintaining his innocence. The circumstances really don’t matter- Damon Killian (played by Richard Dawson), the host of the Running Man, wants Richards on the show. If nothing else, he feels certain that a man with Richards’ size, strength, and stamina will push the ratings for his show through the roof.

Richards is forced onto the program as a runner and, to his surprise, is joined by two of his friends: William (played by Yaphet Kotto) and Harold (played by Marvin McIntyre) who broke out of prison with him. He is also joined by Amber (played by Maria Alonzo), a woman who worked for the show but. Richards has already been betrayed- he was told that his two friends’ lives would be spared if he agreed to do the show. Now, they are all in this together, fighting for their lives and facing off against several stalkers with names like Fireball (played by Jim Brown), Dynamo (played by Erland Van Lidth), and Buzzsaw (played by Gus Rethwisch) as they attempt to be the first criminals ever to win on this sadistic game show.

Final Thoughts:

Directed by Paul Michael Glaser (of Starsky and Hutch fame), “The Running Man” is a science- fiction film that stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in the main role with a supporting cast that includes the likes of Richard Dawson (former host of Family Feud), Jesse Ventura, Dweezil Zappa, Mick Fleetwood (from the band Fleetwood Mac), and others. This film is based on a Stephen King novel and it is an action- packed thriller with some suspenseful moments. I first watched this movie back in 1987 when it was a new release and I was impressed not because of the action (many Schwarzenegger films offer that) but because it was one of the first movies that Schwarzenegger starred in that had a strong supporting cast. In addition to that, Schwarzenegger’s acting was also better in this movie than in previous films, making it stand out in my memory as one of his better efforts overall.

The other thing that stands out in this film has more relevance today than in the past. What I’m referring to the movie’s concept and while it struck me as interesting back in 1987, it seems even more intriguing today. In fact, what prompted me to review this film was a re- showing on cable television. I had pretty much forgotten about “The Running Man” until I was flipping through channels a couple of nights ago and noticed it. I stopped and watched, and I started to think back to the past when I saw this film for the first time. In 1987, most people dismissed the theme of this film as an interesting but unrealistic depiction of life in the future. Today, in 2006, this concept doesn’t seem all that unreal anymore. In the movie, government has taken over control of all entertainment and it censors everything that makes its way into citizen’s homes, whether it’s radio programming, television, or print media. Conditions are slowly moving in that direction, so the depictions in this movie are not as much in the science fiction genre as they were in 1987.

Unfortunately, the Running Man doesn’t spend much time examining life in a police state. Instead, this film focuses its attention on the action elements, and it moves very quickly from beginning to end. The television show is a fast- paced program and everyone gets into the action. The audience is whipped into a frenzy as the show is filmed. The people outside the studio actively place bets on who they think will be the stalker who successfully kills the Runners. Host Richard Dawson is flamboyant and eccentric, and his Running Man show includes dancers and all sorts of fast- paced excitement. The action moves a mile a minute in this movie, and this fact is one of the film’s strongest points.

Like I stated before, I really like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s performance in this movie. Many of Arnold’s acting performances in the early days were not very good, but he is much improved in this film. It also didn’t hurt that he had such a good supporting cast, with Richard Dawson supplying many of the film’s finest moments, with his cocky demeanor and his sadistic style. Many have probably forgotten that Dawson started out as an actor, playing Newkirk in the television series “Hogan’s Heroes”. Dawson is no stranger to this business, even if his claim to fame is his stint as the host of the game show Family Feud. He proves in this movie that he still knows how to act.

There are many memorable quotes in this movie and everyone seems to get in on the action. Schwarzenegger, Dawson, and Alonzo supply most of the humorous moments but even the unknown performers in this movie (like the members of the show’s audience) come up with a few funny and memorable quips. Also, there is some humor supplied in a more subtle manner that no one directly mentions. If you watch this film, you will notice there are posters in the background, advertising names of current television shows in this future vision of the USA. In keeping with the sadistic, punishment- oriented state of affairs, these new programs have titles like “The Hate Boat” and “Pain, American Style” titles taken, of course, from past television programs (Love Boat and Love, American Style) but changed to fit the times.

With the popularity of reality television shows and the growing influence of an increasingly coercive government, The Running Man is a movie worth watching for its unintended insight into the future government here in the USA. If this movie had attempted to more closely examine what life would be like in an all- out police state, it could have been a minor classic. As it stands, it is a movie geared toward sheer action- oriented entertainment. It isn’t as deep as it could have been, but fans of action- packed films will enjoy every moment.




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older