When the original Running Man movie came out in 1987, reality TV was still a thing of science fiction. Now, in 2025, when the genre is as ubiquitous as bad politicians, the new version of Stephen King's dystopian story ramps up the action and flair but falls short in its political messaging and tone.Directed by Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and written by Wright and Michael Bacall, The Running Man takes place in a near future where Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is blacklisted from getting a job because he spoke to a union representative, and must sign up for a deadly reality show to get a better life for his wife and baby daughter.Richards signs up for the popular reality show The Running Man, where three people can win a billion "new dollars" if they survive for 30 days with five trained Hunters and the entire nation of viewers trying to catch and kill them.After he has a narrow escape "live on Freevee" that results in several of the network's soldiers being killed, Richards becomes, at first, a national villain, and then something of an anti-hero. Traveling throughout King's New England (even stopping in Derry of It fame), he meets various members of the resistance, all fighting the show's network and other powers that be in their own ways. He soon becomes a symbol of their movement.The film travels from action set piece to action set piece, ending on a private jet with some of the movie's best scenes. While the action is some of the best you'll see on a screen this year, the film's writing and messaging unfortunately drag it down every time a new monologue is dropped.Wright's films are typically known for slick, stylish cuts and editing, a musical pace and tempo, and action that propels the narrative forward. Sadly, some of that is missing from The Running Man. It doesn't feel as fun as Scott Pilgrim, as action-packed as Hot Fuzz, or as cool as Baby Driver.One of the reasons is that Wright's typical style only seems to pop up now and then like a drone shot of Richards being chased through a hostel, a car chase shown cleverly through a trunk, and some scenes in the middle with Michael Cera. Other times, the movie falls into the same patterns and tempo as lesser, more clichd action movies.Each time there was a good action or comedy scene, it was followed by a heavy-handed speech about the politics of the film. I agree with all of those politics, and I'm glad that The Running Man's message of revolution is to the left of this fall's other revolutionary film, One Battle After Another. Still, subtlety goes a long way in political art, and it's absent here.Because The Running Man's world is so close to the real one, some of the power of the satire is lost, turning it into political melodrama instead of dystopian sci-fi. Instead of leaning into absurdity, this movie brings us back down to reality like an anchor hitting the sea floor.A movie about a reality TV show where citizens are hunted down for sport is already heavy-handed enough; it doesn't need action-stopping monologues to add even more weight.Powell is fittingly volcanic as a blue-collar worker who has been pushed too far his entire life and has been holding back his anger for some time. He's a family man, but he's also the angriest man to ever try out for the show (or so we're told). After Twisters, Powell is once again playing the handsome hero, and he's sure to gain even more fans with this film.Oscar-winner Colman Domingo is one of the film's brightest spots as the flashy TV host Bobby T, who shouts every piece of dialogue like his life depends on it. Katy O'Brian (Love Lies Bleeding) is also a highlight as Laughlin, a sexy lesbian with a death wish who is also a contestant on the show. She needs to get bumped up to action lead right now!Lee Pace is also fittingly menacing and sexy as McCone, the enigmatic, masked leader of the Hunters. Josh Brolin, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra, and Jayme Lawson also star.Overall, The Running Man is fun, flashy, and exciting, and would be a terrific effort by a lesser filmmaker. Unfortunately, many fans will expect more from a master like Wright, and this film falls short of his standards.Two and a half out of five stars.The Running Man is currently in theaters.