Film Review: RUNNER (2026): A Tense Action Thriller and a Serviceable Buddy Movie

Runner Review

Runner (2026) Film Review, a movie directed by Scott Waugh, written by Tommy White and Miles Hubley and starring Alan Ritchson, Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George, Kate Box, Peta Sergeant, Cecilia Toussaint, Geraldine Hakewill, Goran D. Kleut, Scarlett Crabtree, Gyton Grantley, Deirdree Wallace, Anthony Cogin, Thomas Larkin, Beth Waugh, Salomé Chandler and Thomas Cocquerel.

Runner, directed by Scott Waugh, is an intense action film in the vein of 1994’s classic, Speed. Both films have characters racing through the streets. either on foot or in a vehicle, hoping to get a moment to breathe while up against evil people. Runner certainly delivers the goods for fans of these types of action pictures.

Runner features the story of Hank Malone (Alan Ritchson), a man who has sadly lost his young daughter and is “running” things to earn cash nowadays. His latest job is delivering a parrot whose immature human “parents” can’t keep him because of their constant bickering. When Hank finds out his latest job is to deliver a liver worth at least $1 million across town to a dying little girl (Scarlett Crabtree), all bets are off because there is a cartel leader, Damián Zaldívar (Rodrigo Santoro), intent on getting his hands on the liver for a key mafia goon who may need it himself.

Runner also features Owen Wilson in one of his best recent performances as Ben Bishop, the keeper of the liver, who drives around with Hank with the cartel and its leader in hot pursuit of them. Bishop is good for a few one-liners until a bunch of men with skeleton masks on surround the car he and Hank are driving in. Thanks to Hank’s military service, he has a very particular set of skills that the bad guys didn’t expect he would possess, which could help him and Bishop overcome all possible obstacles to getting the liver to the dying girl whose mother (Leila George) is anxiously awaiting their arrival at the hospital. 

This is a high-concept thriller that works as both a buddy movie and a straight-up action movie. There are plenty of close calls as our heroes must not only protect the sacred liver but also must initially try to keep the valuable parrot safe from harm. Eventually, they turn the bird over to Hank’s ex (Geraldine Hakewill) and her new partner as the heroes continue on, racing against time, trying to save the little girl’s life by getting her the new liver she needs.

There are some really surprising plot twists thrown in, some of which could tug at the audience’s heartstrings, but not before some of the most intense chase sequences of the cinematic year take place on-screen. Owen Wilson gets many of the movie’s most precious moments and he has a great time in the film with scenes of Bishop trying to get out of the mess he finds himself in at first, until he realizes how much Hank and the little girl are depending on him to help save the day and her life.

Runner is a movie that knows what it wants to do and does it satisfactorily. Alan Ritchson is a natural born movie star and an action hero that viewers will want to root for. Although he’s merely a sidekick to Hank at first, Bishop is actually developed well enough to be entertaining and likable, thanks to the charisma of the always dependable Wilson.

Rodrigo Santoro is solid as the villain. Any good action movie needs a despicable bad guy. Santoro chews scenes as he tracks our heroes, who at one point throw a tracker in the back of a truck to steer the goons off their trail for a bit.

This film was made by Angel Studios and has a different vibe than most of the films released by the studio thus far. It’s a welcome new action picture for the company that specializes in faith and inspiration driven movies.

Runner gets to tug at the heartstrings at the conclusion by bringing Hank’s bond with his own daughter into the mix, which makes the audience understand why this “run” was so important to him and why he fought so hard for survival to get the liver to the little girl.

In terms of technical production values, the movie has solid, precise editing and is essentially well-crafted. If there is a flaw in the movie, it’s the fact that the movie throws in everything but the kitchen sink with improbable scenarios intensified merely for entertainment purposes. Still, the action should keep most action fans glued to their seats, waiting to see which way the surprising plot will turn next.

Runner is a capable and entertaining movie that is fast-paced and highly watchable. It once again proves that Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson are fine actors when given the right material. This is a dream pairing for an action buddy movie that could just have audiences cheering in the aisles.

Rating: 7.5/10

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