Visceral Buddy Thriller 'Runner' Delivers Action and Grit, but Leaves a Bitter Aftertaste

Angel Studios releases 'Runner', a PG-13 action-comedy that follows Hank, portrayed by Alan Ritchson, a newly sober ex-Navy SEAL working as a runner in Australia. When he is tasked with delivering a refrigerated liver for a dying child, he must escort Owen Wilson's character Ben, a reckless medical courier, to the hospital. Their journey is beset by a ruthless cartel headed by Rodrigo Santoro, who seeks the organ for personal reasons, prompting a series of fistfights, shootouts, explosions and car chases across Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Director Scott Waugh, a former stuntman, captures the violence in a gritty, visceral style, but the nonstop gore creates an unsettling contrast with the film’s comedic beats, such as Hank’s pet parakeet and Ben’s panic attack. Ritchson’s physical presence and Wilson’s humor generate strong on-screen chemistry, and the script by Miles Hubley and Tommy White offers moments of emotional depth regarding Hank’s past and the sick child’s mother. However, the climax’s tragic element feels unearned, leaving the overall experience mixed despite impressive locations that may boost Australian tourism.