AnActorExplains

In the age of communication, corporate America can't have their dirty laundry aired in public! So they've turned to pandering instead of disavowing. As a result, we've entered an era of social activism where entire industries feign interest for women's rights, gender issues & racial politics. The Running Man is a casualty of today's social issues, but mostly as collateral damage (because Hollywood's activists can't write a screenplay!) I explain in detail below:

Hollywood has a history of bending culture to its needs. The 1987 release of The Running Man was nothing like the Stephen King novel, and yet it succeeded. A perfect specimen of 80's, it combined absurd humor, violent spectacle & a timely message of greed, violence & sensationalism in mass media. It turned a dark, nihilistic tale of chaos into a gleefully cheesy thriller of a blockbuster! It also put the quintessential action hero at the helm: Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Forty years later Paramount Pictures fails the remake: The Running Man (2025 film) finds writer / director Edgar Wright disappointing. Here, once again, we see Hollywood's disastrous obsession with crossing genres: Wright tries to blend comic satire with violent drama, only to hinder his own humor. Wright is a storied filmmaker who's proven his wit thru Shaun of the Dead & Hot Fuzz. The campy landscape of the 80's predecessor is replaced with a superficial future dystopia that's void of the funnies we expect from this director.

This incarnation of the Running Man has none of the suspense of The Fugitive. You'd expect a desperate chase to create concern, but with activists at the helm? The first thing to go is the narrative. The second, arguably, is pacing & tempo. People who's only concern is vengeance thru forced representation couldn't write if their lives depended on it! They make this film feel lazy & uninteresting; there simply isn't any urgency!

Like mini-bosses in a video game (and like in Homer's Iliad), the 80's film included ridiculous villains like Subzero, Buzzsaw, Fireball & the opera-singing Dynamo! Today's remake highlights its supporting characters, but they're only vacuous & annoying. There's a reason why after Casablanca we humanize persona, but that reason eludes today's ignorant, uneducated writers. They even fail to make a plucky underdog protagonist, like in Legally Blonde or MacGyver! Wright is the ideal director for a campy remake, but he offers us none of Arnold's memeable lines! At all! None of them. This is a crime!!!

The 2025 Running Man lacks sense in its writing: the film spins its wheels regurgitating plot points. Most of the film, from action sequence to dialogue feels unnatural & contrived. Ben Richards' wife comes across like a supermodel diversity hire instead of a believable working class mom. There's no love interest because traditional family values are antithetical to today's Hollywood's politics... and while Glen Powell is nothing less than a pristine performer, alas, for him, the age of the movie star is practically over. The film industry is in steep decline, people hate White men (celebrity men doubly so) and most movies are now propaganda.

(I give The Running Man a 5 out of 10 for its action sequences and fine cinematography. Sadly, the poor script & lack of pacing make this film a chore to get thru.)

The worst kind of villain is one with a conscience! While there's definitely people who simply don't care, it's those that suffer consequence who retain their humanity. How do YOU feel after doing something wrong? For me it's deep regret and paranoia as I await my comeuppance! In Ballad of a Small Player, Colin Farrell practically embodies distress; a performance which also sees him personify the thrill of abandon, surrender to excess and the exhilaration of constant, perilous risk! The result is a film worth watching for his efforts alone, if not for the meaningful message it conveys.

By adapting British writer Lawrence Osborne, director Edward Berger is banking, once again, on a deeply thematic novel to deliver timeless teachings. In the film industry we have our little cliques, and Ballad finds Berger relying on his usual host of talented professionals. Similarities to Wes Anderson's work appear in color template and style of recording, but the parallels end there. Although these are movies of Maximalist art, cinematographer James Friend has his own watchful eye; one which also oozes appreciation.

Aspects of this motion picture present the excellence of American filmmaking: costumes are exquisite and performances are genuine. Just like in Berger's prior film, Conclave, sound designer Ben Baird delivers an absolutely exquisite acoustic experience; one which, I'd argue, should be the standard in filmmaking. In terms of color, use of shade & tone is appealing, neither detracting from clarity nor nausea inducing. Each facet of this film's presentation adds to its intimacy, drawing the audience further into the fantasy.

During my time in the industry, I've seen producers recite the timeless adage: "The writing doesn't matter! The writing doesn't matter!" as if chanting the lie would make it true. In their arrogance, writer's rooms take liberties with adaptation; an ancestral curse studios refuse to confront. As a result, this film is a meandering mess, making little sense and losing appeal thru decreasing credibility. Intimacy between characters feels unearned & their decision making feels off.

What Ballad gets right is support & forgiveness for addicts: we all deserve patience, love and a chance at redemption. People can grow beyond their fixations and some even learn to apply their talents, transforming demons into blessings. Colin Farrell's wonderful performance of abuse & excess in ignorance of consequence is deeply relatable. The feelings he provokes are a testament to how an actor can inspire! The film's conclusion is a metaphor for maturing and eventually overcoming compulsion.

(I give Ballad of a Small Player an 8 out of 10 for it's production quality. It loses two points for it's aimlessness, lack of clarity and unconvincing relationships.)

Keeping consumer interest has quickly become pivotal in contemporary media. The Internet age, with all its bells & whistles, short content & instant gratification, has all but depleted our attention spans! While there's more than one way to address this, long form games, such as action role-playing titles, can no longer rely on visuals to guarantee success. As AAA's greed & politics slowly bring about their own downfall, it's vital for independent studios to get production right. Dark Envoy: Director's Cut, presents excellent graphics, variety in gameplay & a rich tactical focus, only to fail to deliver a compelling narrative and vital character development.

Dark Envoy is the sequel to the Action RPG Tower of Time. Both titles deliver on developer Event Horizon's outstanding application of Real-Time with Pause; a video game combat system pioneered by the 1998 release, Baldur's Gate. By allowing players to slow combat to a crawl, or even halt it completely, Dark Envoy provides the player with instantaneous decision-making as well as the precious time to consider it! Ability execution in this game is top notch! Characters are responsive, movement is slick & combat feels extremely comfortable.

Dark Envoy also boasts more classes with a larger skill system than its predecessor. Progression becomes increasingly complex, thru Class Skill Trees, Specializations and Research for crafting, enchantments & permanent upgrades. Useful loot drops regularly, and unlocks are freely reallocated for ease of application. Multiplayer cooperative is available and deeply enhances the experience!

What it gains in complexity, Dark Envoy, sadly, sheds in narrative. Tower of Time did a better job at presenting its story, and included unique, hand-crafted dungeons. A distinct feeling of novelty fails to manifest in this sequel; one which is vital to maintaining interest. Repetitive battles feel meaningless in Envoy's procedurally generated environments, leading to an urge to stop playing altogether.

The solution is to inspire commitment: Kingdom Come: Deliverance had me picking flowers for hours to earn a cool passive. Rummaging thru fields proved relaxing, and I earned money from it. Bennett Foddy keeps Baby Steps engaging by providing the players with a stream of cutscenes. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree had me farming monsters because I was obsessed with leveling up (for the cool skills)!

In conclusion, most recent RPGs fail to engross the player. Tiny attention spans require entertainment to give them long term goals, while keeping them wondering what's around the next corner! Unique characters, a sense of humor & a pressing plot will go a long way in today's market. Indie developers like Event Horizon are the future of gaming. Support them! What we purchase defines the industry.

(I give Dark Envoy: Director's Cut a 7 out of 10 for its amazing graphics, wonderful gameplay & tactical complexity. I expect even greater from their next installment!)