This is a remake of the 1987 version that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as the runner/winner (in an ironic Easter egg his image is on their new money). Glen Powell plays the down-on-his-luck dad who enters the competition to help his wife and ailing child. The televised contest requires that he elude killers, amateurs and pros, for 30 days, while on the run. This is obviously an opportunity for great action scenes, but the chases and fights are less impressive than hoped (often shot/edited with more chaos than clarity). This is especially unfortunate considering that the director is Edgar Wright, who’s handled this stuff in hits like “Baby Driver” and “Shaun of the Dead.” Powell handles the physical and dramatic aspects just fine, but this film lacks any opportunity for him to employ the smirky charm that makes him so likable. There are also questions that present themselves as holes in the plot, plus a heavy reliance on dissing the evils of the corporate conglomerate. On the positive side, the futuristic design is cool and Powell still manages to anchor the film with confidence and skill. 
(3.5 / 5)
