Gal Gadot's latest venture, The Runner, is a prime example of a film that struggles to find its footing. The movie, which debuts on Prime Video on September 2, follows the story of Maia Marten, a super-powered lawyer, who is forced to run through the streets of London to save her son from a mysterious villain. While Gadot's performance is commendable, the film's logic cracks and its attempt to comment on modern society falls flat.
One of the biggest issues with The Runner is its lack of a coherent plot. The film's premise is intriguing, but the execution is flawed. The Caller, played by Damian Lewis, forces Maia to run through the city to save her son, but for some reason, he sets a time limit. This leads to a series of outlandish situations where Maia has to sprint through London, dodging pedestrians and finding herself in increasingly dangerous scenarios. The film's logic cracks here, as it becomes clear that the Caller's demands are illogical and unrealistic.
Gadot's performance is a bright spot in the film. She sells Maia's determination to save her son, and her interior conflict regarding what she has to do to accomplish that first thing is well-executed. However, the film's attempt to add complexity to Maia's character through her mother's dark past falls flat. It's a failure of the script rather than the actress.
The Runner also attempts to comment on modern society, but it falls short. The film uses the ubiquitous presence of cellphones as a plot device, but it doesn't explore the implications of this in a meaningful way. The Caller hacks into Maia's phone and uses her private information, but we never learn anything about him. This makes the film's commentary feel superficial and unengaging.
In my opinion, The Runner is a mid-tier movie drop on Prime Video. Gadot does everything she can to keep things running, and director Kevin Macdonald imbues the film with some decent set pieces as Gadot's character becomes increasingly desperate in her mission. However, the wrap-up of the story is unsatisfying, and Damian Lewis is underused in his role as the enigmatic Caller. The film's logic cracks, its commentary falls flat, and its attempt to add complexity to the plot doesn't work. Overall, The Runner is a disappointment, and it feels like a film that could have been so much more.
