REVIEW: Runner (2026 Film) - Starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson

Review by Jon Donnis

Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson are an odd pairing on paper, but that is probably what makes Runner work as well as it does. Ritchson plays Hank Malone, a former Army Special Forces soldier who now earns a living transporting goods for clients. Wilson is Ben Bishop, the man who unexpectedly becomes attached to Hank's latest delivery.

What starts as a routine collection quickly becomes a fight for survival when Hank discovers the importance of what he is carrying. The pair are pursued by a Colombian cartel, forcing them through a succession of car chases, shootouts and increasingly desperate attempts to stay alive while getting the delivery to its destination.

The action is where the film earns most of its entertainment value. There is very little waiting around, with Hank constantly having to find another way out of trouble. A few of the set pieces stand out, particularly when he turns the cartel's own attempts to track them against them. The violence is also handled with enough impact to give the confrontations some weight.

Ritchson is well cast as Hank. He has the physical presence for the role, but the character is not simply presented as an indestructible killing machine. His history with his daughter Isabel, who died from leukaemia, explains some of his decisions and gives his attempts to learn French a personal reason.

Wilson gets the more amusing material, and the contrast between the two characters is easily one of the film's better features. Ben is inquisitive and talkative, while Hank is considerably less patient. Their arguments are often funny, and their relationship develops as their situation becomes more dangerous.

The emotional material works better than I expected. Hank's failed marriage to Monica and the loss of his daughter give the character something beyond the usual action-hero motivation. The film does not overplay it, which helps.

Unfortunately, the story is considerably less interesting than the two leads. Runner follows a very familiar buddy-action structure, and there are few genuine surprises. Once Hank and Ben become targets, the various obstacles and betrayals arrive pretty much as expected.

The film also sits awkwardly between action and comedy. There are laughs, mainly through Wilson, but the story is much more concerned with the chase and its consequences. I would have liked either a little more comedy or a slightly darker approach, rather than hovering somewhere between the two.

At around 90 minutes, there is at least no unnecessary padding. The film gets through its story quickly, gives its two leads plenty to do and finishes before the formula has time to become particularly tiresome.

There is nothing especially new here, but Ritchson and Wilson make the familiar material considerably more enjoyable than it deserves to be. The action delivers, the characters have enough personality to keep things interesting and the emotional elements give Hank a reason to care about more than simply surviving the day.

Runner will not stay with me for long, but I enjoyed watching it.

I score Runner a fair 7.5 out of 10.

In Cinemas Now, and not to be confused with the other film with Gal Gadot that I reviewed recently.

REVIEW: Motor City (2026 Film) - Starring Alan Ritchson, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyce and Shailene Woodley

Review by Jon Donnis

Motor City is the kind of action thriller that immediately stands apart from the crowd. While the story itself follows a familiar path of betrayal and revenge, director Potsy Ponciroli presents it in a way that feels remarkably fresh. With very little dialogue, the film leans almost entirely on visual storytelling, expressive performances and an expertly curated rock soundtrack, creating an experience that often feels closer to an extended music-driven fever dream than a conventional Hollywood action film.

Set in a grimy, industrial 1977 Detroit, the film follows John Miller, played by Alan Ritchson, a factory worker whose life is destroyed after he is framed for a crime he did not commit. Sentenced to decades behind bars, he eventually escapes and embarks on a relentless mission to hunt down the gangster responsible, Reynolds, portrayed with trademark menace by Ben Foster. Along the way, Miller leaves behind a trail of destruction as he battles his way through Reynolds' criminal empire in search of justice for himself, Sophia and the friends who sacrificed everything to help him.

Motor City deserves praise simply for taking creative risks. American action films often rely on endless exposition and constant quips, yet this film strips almost all of that away. Instead, it trusts its audience to follow the story through visuals, facial expressions, action and music. It is an approach that feels bold rather than gimmicky, and for the most part it works brilliantly.

Alan Ritchson carries the film almost entirely through physical performance. Without lengthy speeches or dramatic monologues, he communicates John's anger, heartbreak and determination through body language alone. His imposing presence makes him entirely believable as an unstoppable force of vengeance, while quieter moments reveal enough vulnerability to stop the character becoming a one-dimensional action hero.

Ben Foster once again proves why he remains one of the most dependable screen villains. Reynolds is cold, manipulative and utterly ruthless, providing exactly the sort of antagonist needed to fuel the film's revenge narrative. Pablo Schreiber also makes a memorable impression as the corrupt officer Savick, particularly during one of the film's most savage and brutally choreographed fights.

The action itself is consistently impressive. Every confrontation feels impactful, with bone-crunching violence and inventive staging. Rather than relying on excessive computer-generated spectacle, the film favours grounded brutality that gives every punch, gunshot and explosion genuine weight. The explosive final act delivers exactly the payoff the film has been building towards, with several standout sequences that rank among the year's most entertaining action set pieces.

Equally important is the soundtrack. Setting much of the film to existing rock songs gives Motor City a distinctive rhythm and identity. Combined with the limited dialogue, it creates the feeling of watching a violent mixtape unfold on screen. There are echoes of silent cinema mixed with classic 1970s vigilante films, yet the finished result still feels original rather than nostalgic imitation. It is refreshing to leave an action film feeling as though you have genuinely seen something new.

That originality does not completely disguise the familiar framework underneath. At its core, this is still a fairly standard revenge story featuring many of the genre's well-established tropes. Betrayal, prison escape, corrupt criminals and bloody vengeance all play out much as expected. The presentation may be unique, but the narrative itself rarely surprises.

The pacing is another area where the film could have been stronger. At around 100 minutes, Motor City is not especially long, but it occasionally feels as though it is stretching material that would have benefited from a tighter edit. Several slow-motion sequences linger longer than necessary, reducing the momentum rather than enhancing the emotion. Trimming a few of these moments could have made the film even more effective.

Despite those shortcomings, Motor City succeeds because it fully commits to its unusual vision. It demonstrates that action films do not need endless dialogue to engage an audience, trusting visuals, music and physical performances to tell the story instead. The revenge plot may be familiar, but the stylish execution, brutal action and confidence behind its storytelling ensure it never feels routine.

Motor City is refreshing, exciting and unapologetically different. It proves there is still room for experimentation within mainstream action cinema, delivering a visually striking revenge thriller that leaves a lasting impression long after the credits roll.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Out Now in Cinemas.