Film fans across the UK have a thrilling date with television nostalgia tonight, as the original Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi classic, The Running Man, airs on Film4. This broadcast comes at a perfect time, generating buzz for the upcoming reboot of the film, which is set for release this year.
A Dystopian Classic Returns to Screens
Based on a novel by the master of horror Stephen King, the 1987 film is set in a dystopian version of America between 2017 and 2019. The plot follows Captain Ben Richards, played by Schwarzenegger, a man framed for a massacre he did not commit. Forced to participate in a brutal television game show, he must outrun and survive a team of professional killers known as 'stalkers'.
The film, directed by Paul Michael Glaser, is celebrated for its "wildly entertaining" action and classic Arnie one-liners. It paints a picture of a society controlled by government propaganda following an economic collapse. Richards, alongside co-star María Conchita Alonso who plays Amber Mendez, attempts to expose the sinister truth behind the manipulated broadcast footage.
The Legacy and The New Challenger
The timing of this television event is no coincidence. A new version of The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright, is poised to hit cinemas. Stepping into the formidable shoes of Schwarzenegger is Glen Powell, who rose to fame in the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. Interestingly, some critics have labelled Powell as the next Tom Cruise, though the reboot itself has received a mixed reception from reviewers, with ratings spanning from one to five stars.
Fans of the original continue to praise its unique charm. On review aggregator sites, one viewer described it as "Wildly entertaining and full of 80s cheese", highlighting Schwarzenegger's peak action-hero status and Richard Dawson's performance as the sadistic game show host. Another fan appreciated its deeper themes, noting it as a "great movie about the dangers of what could happen if a totalitarian regime took over the country."
For those looking to experience or revisit this piece of cinematic history, The Running Man airs at 10.55pm on Film4 tonight, Thursday, November 13. It's a chance to see the film that one fan aptly summed up as "pure '80s Arnold at his most entertainingly excessive."
