If you had told me that Runner was just an extended “Very Special Episode” of Reacher, I might’ve believed you. Certainly, having star Alan Ritchson play a similar style of rugged, close-mouthed do-gooder will be what attracts a lot of his fans to the film, a throwback buddy action film that his co-star, Owen Wilson, is quite familiar with. But don’t let the oddball pairing fool you; this is a movie that only dabbles in comedy. Sure, it’s funny, but also is pretty violent and leans into its characters’ redemptive arcs more so than laughs.
Runner is the most unusual release by values-based Angel Studios, known for faith-based that attract a very specific audience. This is its most mainstream project ever, one with a chance to reach audiences all across the spectrum. Ritchson plays Hank, a former Navy SEAL and recovering alcoholic in Australia, who works as a private courier. Hank is a big, tough guy, quiet, and nursing a lot of regret for past sins. When we meet him, he’s furiously trying to learn French and embracing Francophile culture, until he gets job from his handler, Iggy, to pick up a rare bird owned by a squabbling couple. After that turns into a disaster, Hank is then tasked with picking up a medical item for delivery. What Hank finds is that it’s a liver going to a terminally ill little girl with an extremely rare blood type, and that he must also escort Ben Bishop (Wilson), who is the actual courier.
Of course, this rare organ is extremely valuable, and so Hank and Ben (and the bird) find themselves under attack by a crazed lunatic, Damian Zaldivar, played with maximum psychosis by Rodrigo Santoro. Hank and Ben are oil and water. Ben’s mouth runs a mile a minute, and he’s constantly pepperig Hank with questions to get the big man to speak. But they have to figure out how to work together if they’re going to survive the constant shootouts with Damian’s goons, and get to the hospital while the organ is still viable. There’s also the constant threat that the recipient will die before they arrive, whether the organ is good or not. The film constantly takes us to the hospital and the girl’s anxious mother (played by Leila George) who is dealing with some shady stuff there, too.
If you’re like me, your mileage with Wilson may vary. He can be exhausting in the loads of buddy comedies he starred in previously, but in Runner he’s taken it down a notch. There’s a funny scene when Ben promises to dial his gregarious personality down a notch, but only if Hank dials his up a notch so they meet in the middle. That’s pretty much the balance between Wilson and Ritchson, too, one carrying the action and the other most of the humor. Even so, this isn’t a movie that’s meant to be a laugh riot. The tone stays pretty serious, with moments of silliness (the bird is fond of playing peek-a-boo) added to lighten the mood when needed.
Director Scott Waugh, known for Need for Speed and Expend4bles, keeps the pace moving briskly throughout the 95-minute runtime. The screenplay for Runner was on the Black List, noted at the time for being one of the best unproduced scripts around. There isn’t much here that breaks the genre mold, but it does go a long way painting all of its characters as more than they appear. There’s tragedy in Hank’s past that informs his need to do what’s right. At the same time, Damian isn’t a villain who is doing what he does for the typical reason. There are very personal stakes for everyone involved.
This being an Angel Studios release, it’s clear that some of the violence and language was toned down to maintain a PG-13 rating. I complained recently about a similar approach taken with Adam Wingard’s Onslaught, which presents itself as an uber-violent grindhouse flick but is pretty tame. The difference is that Runner, which has a pretty high body count, was always meant to be an entertaining crowd pleaser with a moral message. Ritchson has starred in so many streaming actioners lately, films that would’ve been in theaters years ago, that I have to advocate for seeing Runner in theaters where his every punch booms, his kicks thunder, and Wilson’s wisecracks leave you with something to smile about.
Runner opens in theaters on September 11th.
