Edgar Wright directs Glen Powell, Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo in this sci-fi action comedy where a desperate anti-hero signs up for a game show where he will be hunted for 30 days.

First 90 minutes of this are a blast. I have seen Glen Powell compared to a lot of old school movie stars but his looks, charisma, machismo and self awareness probably hits closest to Eighties Kurt Russell. Yes, please! Wright dials back his house style but still cooks with oomph. The gory and cheesy Arnie adaptation played very fast and loose with the Stephen King source material. While now enjoyable as a nostalgic beer and pizza movie it has never been a revered classic. This is exactly the kinda thing from your childhood you don’t mind being revived and repackaged by the right creatives. Colourful, violent, silly and surprisingly satirical. TRM25 had me… and then it lost me. The third act looks and feels like two of three major reshoots have happened. I don’t actually think they have but this definitely doesn’t stick the landing. The visuals weaken and flatten, the anarchy disappears, the pace slows. It becomes predictable and told through a wincing cock eye rather than active confidence. I don’t think it is sensible to introduce a major new character out of the blue at the start of your third act unless they are a Blofeld or a Lex Luthor type. And there are exciting character actors like Katy O’Brian, William H Macy and Michael Cera who get short shrift in the runtime. Still, Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo make the TV broadcast sequences thump and pump. Almost there and then hits a wobbly standstill.

6

Perfect Double Bill: The Long Walk (2025)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin