Released: 1987
Directed By: Paul Micheal Glaser
Written By: Stephen King (novel: �The Running Man�)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Dawson
Rating: R
Rent or Buy?: BUY
Story:
Set in the 21st century where society has broken down, Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger) is
accused of brutally murdering hundreds of people is Bakersfield, California. When put in jail, he
forms a plan to escape with his two buddies, Laughlin and Weiss. Upon their escape, Richards
goes to his brother�s apartment, only to find he has left and a woman named Amber Mendez
lives there now. He takes her hostage to make an escape, but she squeals on him at the airport.
Richards is captured. However, a game show host, Damon Killian (Dawson) of �The Running
Man�-- a show that allows convicts to get a pardon should they win, wants Richards on his show
to draw ratings. Richards refuses, but Killian informs him, if he doesn�t go on, Weiss and
Laughlin will go in his place. Richards then agrees, and Killian promises not to harm Weiss and
Laughlin. Seconds before going onto the game show on air, Killian announces that Richards will
be competing alongside Weiss and Laughlin anyways. The three are sent to the �game area� to
play the game. Amber is caught snooping around at the TV studio�s video library where she
finds the truth about the Bakersfield Massacre. She is then added to the game. Weiss and
Laughlin are eventually killed by the �stalkers� who stalk the contestants during the game.
Richards and Amber find a secret lab that is trying to set the truth free that the government has
been trying to cover up for years. Richards and Amber help them by returning to the studio and
running the video of the Bakersfield Massacre. When before, Killian showed footage of Richards
killing those people, the real video shows the government ordering Richards to kill the
Bakersfield people. Richards had refused and was framed for the crime. Richards then kills
Killian by shooting him to the game area at mach 99 it seems, which puts an end to �The
Running Man.�
My Review:
This movie, based upon the book, reminds me much of �The Terminator.� Not just because
Arnold is in it, but just the overall tone of the movie. Even the typeface is similar. This movie
would have to be one of Arnold�s best, dispite it being the forgotten one. Richard Dawson is
perfectly cast as the maniacal Damon Killian (who in fact mirrors the backstage Dawson during
his �Family Feud� days) WWF superstar at the time, Jesse Ventura also appears in the movie as
�Captain America� a former stalker turned commentator. I like the story of the pre-apocalyptic
future where the government controls all. Kind of makes you wonder if this is where we�re
headed doesn�t it?
***/4
Hilarious/Memorable Quotes:
Ben Richards: I�m not into politics, I�m into survival.
***
Ben Richards: Hey Damon, I�ll be back.
Damon Killian: Only in a re-run.
***
Damon Killian: (to elderly woman) Now give me a kiss, but remember, no tongues!
***
Damon Killian: You bastard! Drop dead!
Ben Richards: I don�t do requests.
***
Ben Richards: I�m gonna live to see you eat that contract, but I hope you leave enough room for
my fist because I'm going to ram it into your stomach and break your god-damn spine!
***
Ben Richards: I know who you are. You�re the asshole on TV.
Damon Killian: That�s funny. I was going to say the same thing to you.
***
Damon Killian: I want you to be a contestant on �The Running Man.�
Ben Richards: Fuck you.
Damon Killian: You�re a brilliant conversationalist Ben.
***
Amber Mendez: I warn you, I get sick. Air sick, car sick. I�m gonna vomit all over you.
Ben Richards: (wearing a Hawaiian shirt) Go ahead. It won�t show on this shirt.