‘Runner’ brings more heart to action movies

By Carly Shaner

Not to be confused with Gal Gadot’s “The Runner,” “Runner” is also a chase movie, but with much less physical running. Hank Malone (played by Alan Ritchson) is an ex-military man who transports various items. What starts as just another job—running a liver from Brisbane to Gold Coast—turns into an unlikely team-up with Ben Bishop (played by Owen Wilson) and being chased across Australia by a cartel. “Runner” follows the duo as they transport the liver and are pursued by the cartel; we’re also watching the liver recipient and her mother as this movie keeps us guessing whether Ben and Hank will get there in time.

This basic premise is not unheard of in the action genre, but this movie doesn’t take that opportunity to fill two hours with cliches. There are moments familiar to the audience and moments with a subtle but unexpected twist. The soundtrack adds to both the slower, more tension-filled moments as well as the high-speed, fast-paced driving along backroads and freeways.

Normally, this kind of movie would focus only on the good guys with the package and the bad guys who are chasing the package. Instead, this movie gives other minor characters—like the 7-year-old girl receiving the liver and her very worried mother—more than just a few throwaway lines or one heartfelt moment at the end. They have personalities of their own; they’re not just given more screen time because that’s who’s receiving the liver.

Alan Ritchson is type-cast as the tough ex-military man for very visible reasons. He delivers in this movie with no problem, but he’s able to portray the more vulnerable, layered moments of Hank Malone well. Owen Wilson brings Ben Bishop’s care and charisma alongside Ritchson as the typical “opposite of the driver” character. Rodrigo Santoro plays Damien Zaldivar, the cartel leader who’s seemingly stopping at nothing to retrieve this organ. Leila George plays the receiver’s mother, bringing raw emotions to the forefront as time runs out for her child.

Ritchson and Owen play the unlikely-action-movie duo well. Their ability to switch between a humorous and serious tone fits the sequence and grows with the movie.

“Runner” does bring another level of heart to these kinds of movies. The audience gets to see more of who Hank is before the movie really gets going, which makes his motivation for finishing this particular run clear. The donor recipient’s mother, Kate Baker, clearly gets progressively worried as the countdown goes on. As Ben realizes what this liver is worth, he becomes more and more dedicated to getting it to this little girl.

“Runner” forces the audience to think about what you would do for family. How much is too much for someone you love? Should there be a line? Is it less of a line and more a gray area dependent on the situation? 

Another theme in this movie is recovery. If this girl receives the liver in time, her recovery is certain. This run, if it works, will also help Hank recover from the past.

This was an interesting movie content-wise coming from Angel Studios. They tend to focus on the hope and light in stories, and that was present in this movie, but it was harder to see than normal. The focus is more on the chase, but Hank is quick to make some choices that the beginning of the movie implies he’s done making. There were also a few plot holes not completely closed at the end.

This was a fairly entertaining and fresh take on the chase action movie trope. This certainly has a clearer layer of heart than recent action and chase movies that I’ve seen. The jokes hit on time, the tone shifts are appropriate and the duo of Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson did not disappoint.

I give this movie a 7/10.

“Runner” is currently in theaters.

Carly Shaner is a senior Professional Writing and Information Design Major who, after watching this, thinks she’s a great driver (her car hasn’t blown up).

Images courtesy of Angel Studios 251 Entertainment.