Running Man

What’s it about?

Running Man is a dystopian thriller based on a novel by Stephen King. A man enters a deadly game show so he can pay for his sick child’s medicine. It is the second adaptation of the novel after the 1987 film The Running Man.

The facts

• Directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Baby Driver)
• English language
• Runtime: 133 minutes
• Starring Glen Powell
• A remake of the 1987 film The Running Man, which is an adaptation of the novel

Why did it get this rating?

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about classification process and ratings here.

Violence

Most violence happens in fast-paced scenes, with more emphasis on the action. Injury details include grazes, bloody bullet wounds shown through clothing and blood spray as people are shot. Several deaths happen in explosions, but we don’t see detail.

Stronger violent content includes:

• A man is suddenly shot in the head. There is brief blood spray as he falls, and blood pools from beneath his head as he hits the ground.
• A character is engulfed in flames after two children light her car on fire with flame throwers. She screams in pain as she dies.
• A character has their ankle slashed, shown fleetingly with blood spray. Another character is slashed in the stomach with a piece of broken mirror, which leaves a bloody wound. A character is stabbed in the stomach. Blood soaks his clothing.
• A character is shown pulling a shard of glass out of their eye.
• A character sets up a series of traps to electrocute, burn and knock over people invading his house.

There is a montage of people being killed in violent ways in previous seasons of the reality show: an arrow to the head, a head being squashed by two logs, body matter spraying out of a woodchipper, and a man exploding himself.

There is a brief reference to a former contestant committing suicide.

Cruelty

There is systemic cruelty from the dystopian future where mega-corporation ‘The Network’ controls all industry, media and police. The Network threatens and exploits people in TV game shows that are designed to humiliate or are deadly, for the sake of ratings.

• People are kept in poverty, unable to afford basic medicine for their children.
• The Network spreads unfounded rumours and manipulates footage on their reality shows to paint the contestants as evil villains.
• Civilians are violently punished for helping contestants.
• The producer of the TV series has members of his own staff killed for financial reward.

Sexual references

There are some undetailed sexual references and minor sexualised imagery:

• Indirect references or allusions to sex work.
• A man is shown in bed with four naked women, whose breasts are bare but pixilated.
• A character jokes about making love to a sheep.
• A character is shown in a strip club where we briefly see a woman in underwear pole dancing.

Offensive language

Offensive and coarse language is used for emphasis, in stressful situations, casually, and to threaten and insult. Language includes: ‘f**k’, ‘f**k you!’, ‘motherf**ker’, ‘bastard’, ‘son of a b*tch’, ‘sh*t’, ‘dogsh*t’ ‘sh*t-eater’, ‘crap’, ‘pussies’ and ‘dick.’

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?