The Running Man (1987)

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At this point, the original 'Running Man' has become a bit dated. It provides a 1987 look at what the future might have been in 2017, which is something I always kind of enjoy, seeing as we're past 2017 in reality. Much like 'Back to the Future 2' with 2015, it’s fun to see how incredibly “off” the movie is. Add to that the cheesy 80s Schwarzenegger action factor, and the fact that it’s so insanely far separated from its original source material, and one can probably see why author Stephen King wasn’t the biggest fan.

Just to set the record straight, however, this is still an awesomely fun thrill ride of a movie as long as you can see it in the right light and treat it as its own thing. Schwarzenegger has his own collection of features, all released between the 80s and early 90s, in which he always plays a buff action hero, full of one-liners, delivered in his very particular accent, which has been parodied to no end. Back then, Schwarzenegger was THE name for action - you always knew you were going to have fun with what he was going to deliver. I know I always did, whether the movie itself was good or not.

In the 1987 "adaptation," by 2017, the world has undergone economic collapse, and the US government stays in control through ICS (Internal Broadcasting Corporation) which runs the popular game show 'The Running Man,' in which prisoners, aka "runners" are made to run for their lives against the network's hired goons, the "stalkers." If one survives 'The Running Man,' they can earn their freedom. In this crooked future, it seems anyone can be arrested for anything, including unsanctioned art or communication, seemingly in an effort to throw contestants into 'The Running Man' for ratings.

While on duty, Captain Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger) refuses to open fire on hungry protestors. As a result, his fellow officers complete the task for him, frame him, and he is henceforth known as the "Butcher of Bakersfield." He is then arrested and imprisoned in a labour camp alongside resistance fighters Harold Weiss (Marvin J. McIntyre) and William Laughlin (Yaphet Kotto). Eventually, the trio escape the labour camp but are recaptured; Richards, in particular, by ICS composer Amber Mendez (Maria Conchita Alonso), who believes the network's lies about him being the "Butcher."

Richards and the others are eventually entered into 'The Running Man' gameshow, hosted by Damon Killian (the brilliantly cast Richard Dawson). When introducing the runners, the network lies about Richards to boost its ratings with his "Butcher of Bakersfield" title. Seeing this, Amber starts to realize the network's lies and how corrupt they really are, preying on innocent lives for their ratings. However, going against the network could very well mean getting dropped into the gameshow, herself.

Within the game, the trio, essentially headed by Richards, attempts to survive the "stalkers" the network throws at them, which, in this version, are chosen by gameshow audience members and are much more "themed" as though they came out of a retro video game, like "Buzzsaw" or "Dynamo" who are powered by chainsaws and electricity, respectively. Of course, with Arnold kicking ass and taking names, these fights tend to always result in the stalkers becoming almost stupidly defeated and looking like jackasses.

The film is definitely a far cry from the book, so if you're any kind of die-hard King fan, it's hard to say if this would be enjoyable for you or not - I may sooner direct you to the 2025 version, as it's much closer to the original source material. However, if you're just looking for some retro Schwarzenegger-style action, this is one of his more famous titles, complete with everything that makes his old movies great. Despite not adapting the source material very well at all, on its own, this makes for a fun addition to the Schwarzenegger library, even if it's a bit of a guilty pleasure today.

3/5

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