The Running Man (1987)

Edwin Tan

Edwin Tan

— 2 min read
The Running Man (1987)

Score: 5 / 10
Category: Movie
Platform: Netflix

One-line verdict

Big 80s energy, classic Arnold one-liners — but structurally messy and logic-light.

Why I watched this

There’s a new version of The Running Man coming, so I decided to revisit the original. Plus, Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of my all-time favorites. That alone was reason enough.

The premise is peak 80s imagination: a dystopian 2017 ruled by authoritarian control, media manipulation, and public execution disguised as entertainment. Arnold plays Ben Richards, framed for refusing to massacre unarmed rioters, then forced into a deadly game show where survival is the objective.

Conceptually? Strong.

Story & structure

I’ll give the 80s credit — for its time, the futuristic production design was impressive. They didn’t have today’s CGI, but they made the world believable enough.

But structurally, this movie is very shaky.

The entire setup of framing Ben because he refused an immoral order feels rushed and underdeveloped. If the goal was to force him into the Running Man game, there were surely smarter ways to write that transition. Instead, it feels like the script just needed him there and shoved him in.

Then there are continuity issues — especially that subway escape sequence. Three people in the same tube, same speed, almost back to back… yet somehow they emerge at different times safely. That kind of scene makes you pause and think, “Did anyone think this through?”

It feels like action first, explanation later. Or sometimes no explanation at all.

What worked

  • Arnold being Arnold. The one-liners are ridiculous but fun.
  • 80s dystopian vibe is entertaining.
  • The game show concept itself is strong.
  • Seeing Jesse Ventura alongside Arnold again is pure nostalgia.

You watch this knowing it’s exaggerated. And sometimes that silliness works.

What didn’t

  • The framing of Ben lacks depth.
  • The authoritarian control logic feels thin.
  • Continuity mistakes break immersion.
  • Scenes often prioritize spectacle over coherence.

It leans heavily into action and violence without respecting cause-and-effect storytelling — which is something I value.

Final thoughts

Nostalgia helps. Arnold’s presence helps.

But structurally, this is flawed.

The concept is stronger than the execution.

So this sits at 5 / 10 for me.

Fun in parts. Loud. Memorable.
But not disciplined.

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