The Running Man

1987 • 100 minutes
4.4
306 reviews
66%
Tomatometer
R
Rating
Eligible
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About this movie

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Ben Richards, a cop in the totalitarian America of 2019, framed for massacring rioting civilians during a famine. After escaping from jail, Richards tries to prove his innocence, but his efforts are thwarted at every turn by a regime in need of a scapegoat. Richards is captured along with an innocent civilian, Amber Mendez (Maria Conchita Alonso), and they are forced to participate in a violent game show called "The Running Man," hosted by the unctuous Damon Killian (Richard Dawson). The object of the game for Richards and Mendez: obtain freedom by staying alive against a gauntlet of skillful assassins like "Subzero" (Prof. Toru Tanaka) and "Captain Freedom" (Jesse Ventura), each armed with unique weapons like razor-sharp hockey sticks and chainsaws. With the help of some fellow "contestants," Richards is able to tap into government computers and prove his innocence. The Running Man was very loosely based on a short story by Stephen King, who wrote it under the name Richard Bachman.
Rating
R

Ratings and reviews

4.4
306 reviews
A Google user
December 21, 2017
This is a good movie based on the Stephen King book. But besides the title & the name of the main character-Ben Richards & the idea of the movie being based a violent game show like the book is. Everything besides those few things is totally different. But the movie's dope & so is the book.
John Silvestri
August 27, 2018
You aren't watching this movie for a great plot or nuanced performance. It's a dystopian future where Arnold can fix all the problems by punching them. Enjoy it for what it is, or skip over it if it isn't your thing.
Jason Kimbro
October 19, 2019
What an amazingly entertaining and quirky film from Arnold's heyday! Who'd have thought that the beloved host of Family Feud at the time, Richard Dawson, would make an awesome bad guy?! Definitely one of the most unique Stephen King adaptations (Written under the pen name of Richard Bachman.)