Sometimes you just want to watch a big guy hulk out and thrash some stuntmen, especially if you’re a fan of action star Alan Ritchson and his big-guy procedural series Reacher. Ritchson produced and also stars in Runner, a buddy movie where beefcake courier Hank (Ritchson) must escort nervous talker Ben (Owen Wilson) to a hospital ASAP so that he can deliver a spare liver to a dying girl.
That conventional but durable set-up might seem like a no-brainer for genre fans, and to be fair, there are a number of satisfying moments throughout, including a climactic hospital brawl with underdeveloped Colombian drug dealer antagonist Damián (Rodrigo Santoro). Unfortunately, while a number of car stunts are thrilling and a few of the less choreography-heavy melees look passable, the rest of Runner has the same basic problem as a Poochie cartoon: the movie loses all steam whenever Ritchson’s not on screen.
When he’s foregrounded, Ritchson reminds viewers that he has more than enough star charisma to keep his latest showcase afloat. Wilson’s experience as a comic relief sidekick certainly helps somewhat, but even his anxiety-prone and garrulous character doesn’t add much to this otherwise staid programmer.
We first meet Hank in Brisbane, Australia at the start of a jam-packed day of deliveries, starting with a pet canary who’s supposed to be dropped off with his client’s ex-wife, but winds up with Hank after the lady in question refuses to take the bird. All in a day’s work for Hank, as his insistent dispatcher reminds him at every turn. Then Hank loses control soon after he picks up Ben from the local airport.
Instead of just handing over the liver to a pre-arranged location, Hank must drop Ben off further away at a hospital, since that’s what Ben wants and what he says goes. Unfortunately for Hank, Ben’s organ is also wanted by cartel boss Damián, and he’s got big cars, high-powered guns, and a team of scruffy-looking heavies on his side. Hank tries to outmaneuver his enemies, but they somehow always stay on top of him.
While stuntman-turned-director Scott Waugh (Expend4bles) often keeps the focus on fun chase and fight scenes, organized by stunt coordinator Ryan Tarran and his team, most of the action sequences look unremarkable. The car stunts look better than most, partly because Waugh found creative use for a camera rig that he used on an earlier movie (Act Of Valor) to give viewers an impressive 360-degree view of Hank’s car. You’re also sure to remember the gag where Hank’s car is T-boned by one of Damián’s men, since the front half of the car snaps clean off, leaving Hank with a disconnected steering wheel in his hands.
But the fight scenes don’t look as striking since their direction is never as compelling as their choreography, which is credited to fight coordinator Shahaub Roudbari, who worked on another recent Ritchson-produced actioner Motor City. The most satisfying stunt-heavy scenes are grounded by Ritchson’s massive form, which shows whenever the threats that Hank faces either match or threaten to dwarf the star. But too much of Runner expects viewers to focus on the bond between its two relatively forgettable leads.
Co-writers Miles Hubley and Tommy White’s script might have been featured on Hollywood’s vaunted Black List, but their characterizations don’t really stand out—not even Damián, a tediously rote psychopath who snarls and acts out because his powerful cartel leader mom (Cecilia Toussaint) needs a new liver. Ben’s at least supposed to be unlovable, though most of his breathless dialogue evaporates soon after he says it (“I’m not a foodie, I’m a bon vivant!”). The movie’s sold as a two-hander, but one hand doesn’t really do much lifting. Yet, Hank’s the bigger bore whenever he’s not barreling his way through various roadblocks. He’s got a wispy backstory involving military service in Afghanistan, a daughter and an ex-wife, and a one-year sobriety chip. The role’s never as polished as the performer.
The simple, straight-ahead appeal of this type of actioner makes Runner‘s shortcomings all the more frustrating. At least Ritchson’s collaborators know enough to treat his physical presence like the main attraction. But it’s still hard to care when so much of Runner feels like a watery sketch for a leaner, or more focused, stunt showcase—the actual movie is never as striking as its star.
Director: Scott Waugh
Writer: Miles Hubley, Tommy White
Starring: Alan Ritchson, Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George, Adriana Barraza, Sullivan Stapleton, Peta Sergeant, Geraldine Hakewill
Release Date: September 11, 2026
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