"A mad escape in a mad world." Currently South Korea's greatest living film master Bong Joon-ho highly praised the film 'The Running Man'.
The film 'The Running Man' (director Edgar Wright), which opened on the 10th, is a chase action blockbuster in which unemployed family man Ben Richards (Glen Powell) joins a global survival program to compete for a huge prize and must survive for 30 days from brutal pursuers. It is a work that raises expectations with Edgar Wright's witty direction, praised for 'Baby Driver,' and Glen Powell's fearless action, the Hollywood prospect who played in 'Top Gun: Maverick'.
In particular, 'The Running Man' drew attention as a film that even received a recommendation from Bong Joon-ho. In a recently released review poster for the film, Bong Joon-ho emphasized the spectacular visuals, saying, "A mad world, a mad escape. Blood and flames overflow."
He also praised the action in 'The Running Man.' He said, "Rather than showing off stunt tricks, it feels closer to the action of a sweaty working-class." He also added praise, saying, "Ben Cheeters, full of rage, fits well with the feel Glen Powell has," commending 'The Running Man' for venting the frustrations of ordinary people and Glen Powell's realistic action performance.
Bong Joon-ho, who swept the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards with the film 'Parasite,' artistically portrayed the hardships of ordinary people and the wealth gap in capitalist society. The small‑town action catharsis narrative of 'The Running Man' that captivated him attracts attention from film fans not only in Korea but also overseas.
In fact, 'The Running Man' features an unemployed family man as the protagonist and depicts a dystopian worldview in which he risks his life for his young daughter, making it a work that invites expectations for worldbuilding beyond the simple thrill of action. The brutal yet realistic action recalls the 'Battle Royale' series, and some note that the working‑class protagonist's action thrill is reminiscent of the successful fantasy blockbuster 'The Hunger Games' or the Netflix series "Squid Game Season".
Among this, Bong Joon-ho's praise raised expectations for the film's quality. The released film has lived up to that and is heating up the winter box office. In addition, Glen Powell, who is drawing expectations as the 'next Tom Cruise' in Hollywood action scenes, brought lively action to life through Edgar Wright's characteristic sense that actively uses music. Attention is on the trajectory of 'The Running Man's' dash.
[Photo] Provided by Lotte Entertainment.
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