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The Running Man

1987 • 1h 41m •
Action Thriller Science Fiction
MOVIEVIBE Rating
★ 6.5/10
2,980 reviews
Your Rating
The Running Man

By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.

"It is the year 2019. "The Running Man" is a deadly game no one has ever survived. But... Schwarzenegger has yet to play."

Top Billed Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Ben Richards
Richard Dawson
Richard Dawson
Damon Killian
María Conchita Alonso
María Conchita Alonso
Amber Mendez
Yaphet Kotto
Yaphet Kotto
William Laughlin
Jim Brown
Jim Brown
Fireball
Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura
Captain Freedom
Erland van Lidth
Erland van Lidth
Dynamo
Marvin J. McIntyre
Marvin J. McIntyre
Harold Weiss

Detailed Critic & Audience Reviews

J John Chard Verified TMDB Critic
2016-08-07

I'm not into politics. I'm into survival.

The Running Man is directed by Paul Michael Glaser and adapted from the Stephen King (as Richard Bachman) story by Steven E. de Souza. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland van Lidth, Marvin J. McIntyre, Gus Rethwisch, Professor Toru Tanaka and Mick Fleetwood. Music is by Harold Faltermeyer and cinematography by Thomas Del Ruth.

It may be packed with cheese and is as nutty as a squirrel's sandwich, but this is one astutely entertaining futuristic slice of sci-fi pie. ...

C CinemaSerf Verified TMDB Critic
2025-11-16

“Richards” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has always had trouble with authority. Usually, that’s because he doesn’t like carrying out arbitrary orders in his newly militarised USA. When he finally finds himself on the wrong side of the law, his options are reduced to participation in the ultimate game show. He can win his freedom and a life of luxury if he’s the last man standing, but along the way he is going to play ball with the manipulative producer “Killian” (Richard Dawson) who has no intention of paying him a cent. Before long, though, “Richards” begins to realise that there ...

G GenerationofSwine Verified TMDB Critic
2026-06-06

OK, it wasn't like the novel.... the Novel was sort of Network turned into an action movie with a scrawny lead... and this missed the mark and went more into straight Science Fiction Action, but it's still really fun to watch and still has some of the satirical edge to it.

Which puts it above the remake which dropped satire altogether, and just made the movie into a nonstop lecture about how the Democrat Party and Communism are the only good things on gthe planet. The remake sort of left Netword behind completely and made a leftist version of Red Scorpion... if Red Scorpion constantly talk...