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Runner (2026)


Runner is directed by Scott Waugh, the same director who brought us Act of Valor and Expendables 4, and he knows how to handle action. The action is well directed, and the editing is tight enough that the movie never feels unnecessarily drawn out. The film is pretty straightforward, but it knows what it wants to be and delivers a fun action movie without overstaying its welcome.

Alan Ritchson tries to branch out from the role of the giant who beats people up, but he doesn't get very far away from it. He's clearly capable of playing more than the typical physically imposing action hero, but this movie still leans heavily into what he's already known for. Owen Wilson, meanwhile, basically plays himself, or at least a character very similar to the one he played in Wedding Crashers. If you've seen Wilson in that type of role before, you know exactly what you're getting.

Rodrigo Santoro, who most people will probably recognize from 300, plays the main villain. His performance is borderline. The villain at least has reasons for being evil, which is better than having another generic bad guy who is evil just because the script says he needs to be. The women in the movie are also vulnerable in ways that feel more believable for their characters rather than simply turning them into action heroes who can somehow do everything the men can do.

Overall, Runner is an entertaining and fun action movie. It doesn't exactly reinvent the genre, and Ritchson isn't straying as far from his usual role as he probably thinks he is, but the action is solid and the pacing keeps things moving. Sometimes that's all I really need from a movie like this. Result: B

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