Set in a totalitarian society. Ben Richards is a cop who was blamed for a massacre which wasn't his fault. He would be sent to prison and breaks out with some other inmates. He tries to escape but the woman whom he dragged into his plan turns him over to the authorities. Damon Killian, who is the host of THE RUNNING MAN a game show wherein convicted felons are given the chance to run to freedom but have to elude the stalkers; men who hunt them down and kill them in gruesome manners. When he learns that Richards has been caught, he wants him to be the show's next contestant. After being brought to Killian, Richards turns him down, Killian then reveals to Richards that his two friends who were in prison with him and who broke out with him have been caught, so unless Richards does the show they will. But on the night of the show, Richards is set to go but Killian also reveals that Richards' two friends are going with him. Richards tells Killian that he will be back. But first !
The Running Man Movie trailer:
The Running Man movie Reviews:
In
the near future, Arnold stars as Ben Richards, a wrongly convicted man
coerced into playing 'The Running Man', a deadly TV game show where
people have to keep moving to try and escape brutal deaths at the hands
of the 'Stalkers'. Of course, people are expected to die eventually and
its up to Arnold to prove the system wrong.
I haven't read the
Stephen King book, but this is a great film regardless, one of Arnold's
best. He does what he does best in the action man role, delivering death
with unforgettable one-liners. Classics are probably the 'He was a real
pain in the neck' after strangling a guy with barb wire, and 'He had to
split!', referring to whereabouts he just chain sawed someone
vertically. Dawson is perfectly irritating as the TV presenter, and all
the 'Stalkers' are suitably camp. The action is violent, but its an
action film. That's the point. The film is fast paced, and at 90 minutes
it doesn't overstay its welcome.
With Starsky and Hutch's Paul
Michael Glaser at the helm, and made in the wake of the success of The
Terminator, previously this film was probably seen as just another
mindless action vehicle for Arnold, and very far fetched. But today,
anyone who watches a lot of TV could see how the film is getting closer
to reality. I wouldn't be surprised if I turn on the TV in the 'near
future' and see a show not to far from this.
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