Review: Runner

If you love Alan Ritchson in Reacher, then Runner is definitely going to feel like a movie made for you.

The film follows Hank, played by Alan Ritchson, who ends up having to help transport a liver to a hospital for a seven-year-old girl who desperately needs it. What should be a simple delivery quickly turns into something much bigger when Hank and Ben, the medical courier played by Owen Wilson, find themselves being chased by a dangerous cartel that wants the organ for themselves.

I actually really loved the concept of Runner. It’s simple, but it gives the movie such high stakes because they are literally racing against time to get this liver to the hospital. You know there is a little girl waiting for it, so every time something goes wrong, you’re sitting there thinking, okay, HOW are they possibly going to make it there in time?

And there is a lot that goes wrong.

The movie is packed with action from beginning to end, with car chases, fights, shootouts and pretty much everything you would expect from this type of film. There were definitely moments where I was on the edge of my seat because it feels like every time Hank and Ben get one step closer, something else gets thrown at them. Of course, I also really enjoyed Alan Ritchson in this role. If you’ve watched him in Reacher, Hank definitely has a similar energy. He’s tough, intimidating and the kind of character where you already know that if someone gets in his way, it’s probably not going to end very well for them. Ritchson is so good in these types of action roles, and Runner really lets him lean into that.

I also thought pairing him with Owen Wilson was really fun because the two bring such different personalities to the movie. Ritchson has that more serious action-hero energy, while Wilson brings some of the humour and lighter moments throughout the story. I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop as they’re basically thrown into this insane situation together. But I think what made Runner work for me was how straightforward the storyline was. It doesn’t need to be overly complicated. There’s a liver, there’s a little girl who needs it, and there’s a clock ticking while basically everyone and everything seems determined to stop them from getting it there.

Runner was a really fun watch. It has a great concept, a ton of action and a storyline that kept me invested in whether they were actually going to make it to the hospital in time. And if you’re already a fan of Alan Ritchson doing what Alan Ritchson does best in Reacher, I think you’re going to have a lot of fun with this one too.

Watch the trailer for Runner below

VVS Films brings RUNNER, to theatres September 11, 2026