Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures’ “The Running Man” (Photo Credit: Ross Ferguson).
(“The Running Man” trailer courtesy of Paramount Pictures)
On the 1986 track “Daddy’s Hands,” country artist Holly Dunn sang, “I remember daddy’s hands workin’ till they bled. Sacrificed unselfishly just to keep us all fed. If I could do things over, I’d live my life again. And never take for granted the love in daddy’s hands.”
When a man has someone else’s life and well-being in their hands, many will go to hell and back just to ensure their survival and prosperity, as shown in “The Running Man,” starring Austin, Texas native, Glen Powell.
That is a familiar theme is movies.
But the key is to present that theme in a fun and exciting way, and “The Running Man” does so in a wild and crazy way that resembles the more somber, “The Long Walk,” but in a more high-tech way.
In “The Running Man,” late civil rights activist and former Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) would call Ben Richards’ (Powell) actions on the job as “good trouble.”
He often gets fired from his hard labor jobs because of insubordination.
But what the bosses describe as insubordination, Ben would probably describe as civil disobedience and speaking up for the little man.
Unfortunately, speaking up for the little man does not always put a person in the good graces of the big man.
And when a little man has the responsibility of caring for an even smaller girl, causing a ruckus on the job could eventually put that little man’s family in peril.
In “The Running Man,” Ben’s 2-year-old daughter Cathy is suffering from a severe fever.
Because he recently lost another job, Ben does not have access to adequate health coverage.
He even brings Cathy to his old job, hoping that will sway them to rehire him.
Unfortunately, Ben, Cathy and his wife Sheila (Jayme Lawson) must make do on her wages as a waitress, while shopping on the black market for remedies for Cathy’s illness.
Ben’s family struggles should not be indicative of his work ethic.
He has consistently done dangerous jobs just to make ends meet for his family.
But he is so upset with the system that Americans must live in, that he cannot keep his mouth closed and stay in his place, which is required from the repressive government and companies controlled by the government.
While unemployed and desperate, Ben constantly sees advertisements for the reality show “The Running Man,” a program where contestants battle to the death for a cash prize of $1 billion new dollars.
“The Running Man” is arguably the most popular show in America, as three contestants fight to stay alive while avoiding detection by the public and the bullets of The Hunters.
Although the type of money Ben could win on “The Running Man” show could alleviate his family problems forever, he is not that stupid to put his life in danger and leave Cathy fatherless.
He wants to compete in a less dangerous game show, which would put just enough money in his pocket to pay for Cathy’s medications.
Unfortunately, “The Running Man” show producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) sees a potential star in Ben and does not want to waste his star power and charisma on one of the network’s less popular shows.
Killian believes that Ben’s anger and strength could really resonate with the American public.
And the type of money that he is offering Ben would immediately change the lives of Cathy and Sheila.
So, Killian basically makes Ben an offer he cannot refuse to paraphrase “The Godfather.”
But as the old people would say back in the day, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Furthermore, can regular hard-working Americans even trust the elite when they have a history of using and abusing the least of these?
The above description of “The Running Man” might make Regal readers believe that the movie is dark and depressing.
But filmmaker Edgar Wright makes the movie so enjoyable that moviegoers might ignore some of the deeper themes and messages.
Wright is able to make such a dire circumstance likable because of the corky and sometimes corny characters like Bobby T (Colman Domingo), Bradley (Michael Cera), Laughlin (Katy M. O’Brian) and Molie (William H. Macy).
Furthermore, Wright is smart to present “The Running Man” in a light-hearted way because deeper messages are more digestible when presenting in an amusing manner.
And the message in “The Running Man” is needed now more than ever.
While America is not a totally repressive country, some politicians arguably aim to make the United States one, as they openly advocate for authoritarianism.
When people have grown accustomed to freedom and democracy, many might not truly understand what authoritarianism looks like.
In a dictatorship, people will no longer control themselves, their lives or their destiny.
There will be clearer lines drawn separating the haves from the have nots.
And the have nots will exist just to serve and entertain the haves of society.
That means the death of the have nots will be celebrated and broadcast on national television as if human life is less than the life of a dog.
However, contestants on shows like the one Ben is signing up for volunteer for a possible death.
Why would anyone volunteer to put their lives on the line for someone else’s entertainment?
Well, desperate times call for desperate measures, and one might do just about anything to take care of their family.
Although “The Running Man” does suffer from some cheesiness, it shows love to fathers, which is something that often is not done enough in mass media.
Dunn knew the assignment like Wright does, as she sang, “Daddy’s hands were soft and kind when I was cryin.’ Daddy’s hands were hard as steel when I’d done wrong. Daddy’s hands weren’t always gentle. But I’ve come to understand there was always love in daddy’s hands.”
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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