The Running Man (1987)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Bad costumes, bad dialog, cheesy music and even more CHEESY villians....I swear....they literally covered one of the villians with a "light bright" gameboard. This was a full on released movie....V...a tv show released 3 years prior had 10x the special effects and quality....still love Arnold but the Running Man is near the bottom of crap barrel....probably his weakest film...though bad costumes and cheesy everything isnt his fault.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is at his ass-kicking, quipping best in this superior sci-fi action spectacular. It's the "future", and police officer Ben Richards (Arnold) is framed for a massacre of rioters. After busting out of prison, he's ultimately caught again, and is made to participate in the nations' most popular competition show, "The Running Man". Hosted by the extremely smarmy Damon Killian (Richard Dawson, incredibly well cast), it offers convicted criminals their own chance at freedom - IF they can evade the executioners who dress in colorful costumes and who are referred to as "Stalkers"."The Running Man" offers a fair bit of food for thought. Now that we've actually reached the year in which this movie takes place, it makes us think about the world we live in, and where we're possibly headed. Much like "Network" 11 years before it, "The Running Man" became a prophetic movie, depicting the advent of so-called "reality television" in our society. And it also makes us think about how the media may be constantly manipulating information before we ever get to see it.Not that "The Running Man" is all substance and no style, of course. It's also a tried and true Arnold vehicle, in which he gets to strut his stuff and offer up a one-liner every time he overcomes an antagonist. "Here is Sub Zero. Now, *Plain* Zero!" The lighting, the sets, and the costumes are a delight to behold, in this portrayal of a Dystopian future where the unruly lower class are held in check by being delivered the lurid thrills of this "game show". Harold Faltermeyers' music is catchy, as it always is. There is some potent violence, although the squeamish should know that the gore doesn't really get all that hard for them to handle.Arnold is supported by a pretty eclectic mix of performers: Maria Conchita Alonso as his feisty leading lady, Yaphet Kotto and Marvin J. McIntyre as his prison associates, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland Van Lidth (whose final film this was), Bernard Gus Rethwisch, and Professor Toru Tanaka as assorted "Stalkers", and musicians Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa. Familiar faces in small roles include Sven-Ole Thorsen, Edward Bunker, Kurt Fuller, Ken Lerner, Dey Young, Thomas Rosales Jr., and Lin Shaye. Although designed as an Arnold vehicle, it's Dawson that really makes "The Running Man" come to life.A very fun movie that, if anything, looks better today than it did when it first came out.(Loosely) based on a novel by Richard Bachman (a.k.a. Stephen King)."Killian, I'll be back!" "Only in a rerun."Eight out of 10.

Introduction:Who the king is? Arnold is the king of the show!It is the year 1987. Ronald Reagan rules the USA, Andy Warhol quietly dies after giving a brand new notion of "modern art". Oliver Stone's war masterpiece "Platoon" wins the Oscar award for best motion picture of the year.Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger continues his glorious forward march in Hollywood, by participating in the blockbuster "The Running Man", initially conceived by the rich imagination of Richard Bachman, a.k.a. the master of horror Stephen King.In fact, the sci-fi action film, directed by the famous TV director and actor Paul Michael Glaser ("Starsky and Hutch") is far from being a horror flick. Moreover, a movie starring the ludicrous Arnie can hardly be given a different definition from comedy or parody. Or at least it looks that way.The plot:Following the eponymous novel by Stephen King, the plot tells the story of the wrongly convicted for a massacre Ben Richards who is forced to participate in a highly popular reality show on TV, called "The Running man".In this show, convicted criminals are given the opportunity to fight for their freedom. In order to achieve that, they must face different "stalkers"-men who hunt them all over the city with various deadly weapons. One must admit that the director has put successful efforts in his desire to recreate the futuristic, catastrophic and totalitarian society, developed by Stephen King.The Cast:The beautiful Maria Conchita Alonso in the role of Amber Mendez, the two celebrated ex-wrestlers Jesse Ventura as Captain Freedom and Professor Toru Tanaka as Subzero as well as Jim Brown, probably the most glorious NFL player ever in the role of Fireball, are among the most famous names in the cast.This is a Funny Action Movie because:Without any doubt, all eyes are on Arnold who once again steals the show and it is because of him that the film is so successful and laughable. There are plenty of unintentional comic moments featuring "the Austrian Oak" and we are all sure that the director didn't cut them on purpose. After all, the key to a successful Arnold movie is just to let the guy be himself in front of the camera.arnold running manThe comedy starts at the very beginning of the movie where Arnold is driving a chopper and when the crew attacks him, he starts with his moaning, which sounds like coming from a wounded panda. The famous "Aaaargh" is back again, and combined with his unbelievable Austrian accent and funny face moves, will definitely make you laugh.No need to mention the huge, almost unnatural muscular physic, that makes him look like a sweet debil. His muscularity and inhuman strength are demonstrated in the scene where he is easily carrying an enormous metal branch.Funnily, the scene reminds the one from "Commando", where Arnold is carrying a huge stump, all sweaty and with his biceps about to explode. He is just like a bodybuilder and at some moment, he is wearing a t-shirt with a stamp "World Gym". At this precise moment, I paused the movie and went to hit the iron by doing bench press push-ups.When our character is already in the reality show, he wears a ridiculous and tight yellow circus outfit, which makes him look even more retarded.Enough credits for Mr. Olympia.The so-called "stalkers" or the hunters who chase him also look very pathetic. Their costumes and unreal weapons make them look like little children who act in a school play and expect a candy from their parents in the end. Here, it is important to mention the "trying to be sinister" Dynamo who is dressed with dozens of luminous bulbs, just like a Christmas tree.In general, Arnie easily kills all stalkers and a smart line follows every killing to underline his supremacy.And how the heck it is possible to be in 1987 and to consider that in 2017 the cassettes will still be the main way of listening to music?Conclusion:The movie is full of dumb humor and sometimes, absurd lines, like the celebrated "I will be back". Arnold's acting is hilarious and wooden and the director pays homage to the feet fetish, showing Maria Conchita Alonso's beautiful legs in a pantyhose. So, enjoy! There is something for everybody.With a budget of 27 000 000 $ "The Running Man" is for sure worth watching, especially if you are a die-hard Arnold fan and a Stephen King admirer.Oh, and beware that you will probably feel the burning desire to go to the gym to pump your muscles.

Plot; In the future, the totalitarian government uses a barbaric TV game show to help sedate and satiate the population.This is Arnold at the absolute zenith of his Arnoldness, and though this is far from his best film, perhaps none of his other works better typify The Age of Arnold that was that 15 year or so run from the early 80s through the mid 90s. The funny thing is, Arnold isn't even the best thing about The Running Man. That distinction belongs to Richard Dawson, not exactly playing against type as a verbose and charming gameshow host, who steals the movie right from under the hero. Paired with a tailor made premise, it delivers those 80s Arnold staples; Quips, kills, a kiss (courtesy of the lovely Maria Conchita Alonso) and a fade to black as a power rock anthem plays us out.