The Runner (2015) Review

The Runner (2015) isn't at all original, but it still manages to be an achievement within its genre.

Nicolas Cage stars at the titular character congressman Colin Pryce, whose governmental career goes downhill, after he's caught in a sex scandal.

Cage's last thriller Dying of the Light (2014) was utterly bad. The only good factor about it was his acting. But this time Cage's powerhouse performance is matched by an equally well-crafted film. The supporting cast is great as well.

The Runner also succeeds where other political dramas don't. And that is by establishing an equilibrium between politics and theatrics. This is more of a humane venture. We go through what the individuals do. There are issues of capitalism and humanitarianism. Also, these are discussed through a finely written script.

What the movie lacked was unpredictability. It is just too repetitive. This is especially in accordance to the final half-hour. At 90 minutes, the duration is durable, but some events you can see coming from minutes away. Another negative was how at some points it became just too slow to watch.

Still, Cage is fit for the role. He exhibits true finesse as an American politician. This is his best enactment since 2013's Joe. A feature that was sadly overlooked by the Academy in the following year.

Overall, The Runner is moderately written, brilliantly directed and exceptionally acted. It kind of reminds you of House of Cards, in a way, if it were adapted into a low-budget flick.

The Rating: 2.5 out of 4.