The Running Man (Film Review)

1987 Tri-Star Pictures
Directed by: Paul Michael Glaser; Written by: Steven E. de Souza
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, María Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Dawson
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 101 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 7/10

Arnie is a police helicopter pilot in a post-apocalyptic, very fascist United States. When he refuses orders to open fire on innocent civilians, he's knocked out and framed to have killed them all anyway. He gets sent straight to prison, where he promptly breaks out, but is promptly captured again. However, his hulking physique and superior fighting skills are noticed by Damon Killian, the host of the nation's most popular series, The Running Man. Arnie is chosen to participate in an episode of the show, which features prisoners getting chased around by dangerous, comic book character-like hunters, all in front of a live and television audience. If a contestant survives, they are allegedly set free and set for life. Can Arnie not only survive, but prove the show isn't what it seems AND help spark a national rebellion? Will there be mindless violence and endless goofy one-liners? Does Arnie like to flex?
1987's The Running Man is an enjoyable film, playing like a reel of Arnold Schwarzenegger's greatest hits. It's got violence. It's got over-the-top visuals. It's got one-liners. What more could you want? Well, maybe more depth. Schwarzenegger himself lamented the fact that some of the film's deeper themes did not translate from page to screen. There's some very surface level stuff about the pacifying qualities of television violence, but that's essentially negated by a bunch of...pacifying violence. Thankfully, even if it's not deep, The Running Man is fun.
Director, Paul Michael Glaser, might not be game to coax out The Running Man's deeper themes, but his television experience helps keep the film running at a fast and consistent clip. Schwarzenegger is at his career point right between the first and second Terminator films, and his persona is fully formed. He knows just what the audience wants, delivering one-liners with his gleeful, trademarked Arnie grin, picking up and throwing costumed hunters like fleshy potato sacks, and...running a lot. María Conchita Alonso brings just the right energy as his sidekick, yelling and running around the film's underground location like...well, a startled person running for their life. The character designs for the hunters are silly and fun, including a flame-thrower guy, an electricity guy, a chainsaw guy...it's no wonder this film later inspired numerous video games. 

The Running Man is a giddy burst of energy, a must watch for Arnie fans, and a great document for late 80's post-apocalyptic aesthetics. I just can't help wishing it was a little more than the sum of its parts.