Runner Information
- Movie Name: Runner
- Type: Feature Film (Action Comedy)
- Genre Tags: Action, Comedy, Thriller
- Status: Released
- Director: Scott Waugh
- Writers: Miles Hubley, Tommy White
- Studio/Production: 2521 Entertainment, Broken Road Productions, Nickel City Pictures, A Higher Standard, Industry Entertainment
- Distributor: Angel Studios
- Release Date: September 11, 2026
- Language: English
- Subtitle: English
- Running Time: Around 1 hour 37–38 minutes
- Content Rating: PG-13
The screenplay by Miles Hubley and Tommy White was first recognized on the 2023 Hollywood Blacklist of top unproduced screenplays before Scott Waugh signed on to direct in late 2024.
Runner Story & Plot
The story follows Hank Malone (Alan Ritchson), a former Army Special Forces soldier now working as a "runner," transporting both legal and illegal cargo for paying clients. His latest job pairs him with Ben Bishop (Owen Wilson), a motor-mouthed medical courier tasked with personally delivering a rare, time-sensitive liver transplant meant to save the life of a critically ill young girl named Ellie. The organ only has a three-hour window of viability, and Hank and Ben quickly discover they're not the only ones racing to get their hands on it.
Opposing them is Damian ZaldÃvar (Rodrigo Santoro), the ruthless son of a powerful drug lord who needs the same liver to survive and has no intention of letting anyone stand in his way. What starts as a straightforward delivery job spirals into a brutal, high-speed manhunt across the Gold Coast, forcing Hank and Ben to survive betrayal, gunfights, and constant setbacks while the clock keeps ticking down on Ellie's chances.
Runner Main Cast & Characters
Main Roles
Alan Ritchson as Hank Malone
A former Special Forces soldier now working as a high-end courier.
Character Description: Hank insists he's left violence behind him, but the job keeps pulling him right back into it, giving Ritchson plenty of room to lean into his action-star physicality.
Owen Wilson as Ben Bishop
The fast-talking medical courier entrusted with delivering the liver.
Character Description: Ben's nonstop chatter plays directly against Hank's stoicism, and the contrast between the two is the film's biggest source of both comedy and chemistry.
Rodrigo Santoro as Damian ZaldÃvar
The ruthless son of a drug lord who needs the same organ to survive.
Character Description: Damian's desperation makes him a relentless, personal threat rather than a generic cartel villain.
Leila George as Kate Baker
Ellie's mother, desperate to see the transplant succeed.
Character Description: Kate's protective instincts eventually pull her directly into the film's action, giving the story an emotional anchor beyond the central duo.
Supporting Roles
Adriana Barraza as Donna ZaldÃvar
A member of the ZaldÃvar family connected to Damian's storyline.
Character Description: Ties Damian's desperation back to his own family's circumstances.
Scarlett Crabtree as Ellie Baker
The critically ill young girl whose survival depends on the delivery succeeding.
Character Description: Ellie's condition is the ticking clock that drives the entire plot forward.
Peta Sergeant as Julie
A nurse involved in the medical side of the story.
Character Description: Represents the hospital-side stakes of Hank and Ben's race against time.
Geraldine Hakewill as Monica, Kate Box as Dr. Ainsley, and Sullivan Stapleton as Josh
Additional supporting roles rounding out the film's cast.
Character Description: Fill out the film's wider circle of hospital staff and characters connected to Hank and Ben's mission.
Runner Review: Cinematography, Music & Pacing
Scott Waugh, coming off the critically panned Expend4bles, bounces back here by keeping the film's focus tight on just two leads instead of an oversized ensemble. Lorenzo Senatore's cinematography keeps the action grounded and visceral, and Charlie Nguyen Kim's score matches the film's relentless forward momentum. The pacing rarely lets up once the central chase kicks off, though critics have noted the plot leans on familiar action-thriller beats and doesn't always hold together under scrutiny, the film is clearly more interested in its two leads' chemistry than in narrative complexity.
What I liked:
- Ritchson and Wilson's chemistry: The contrast between Hank's stoic physicality and Ben's constant talking carries most of the film.
- Tight, efficient direction: Waugh keeps the story focused on its two leads rather than overloading the cast.
- Visceral action: The chase sequences are shot with real energy and impact.
What I didn't like:
- Familiar plotting: Several critics noted the story leans on standard cartel-thriller tropes without much innovation.
- Underwhelming box office: Against a reported $35–45 million budget, the film opened to a modest box office return.
Spoiler Note
This review avoids detailing whether Ellie's transplant ultimately succeeds or how the final confrontation with Damian ZaldÃvar plays out.
Viewer Reviews and Ratings
★★★★☆ | "Ritchson and Wilson's chemistry alone makes this worth watching, they're a genuinely fun pairing."
★★★☆☆ | "Fast, violent, and funny in equal measure, though the plot is pretty by-the-numbers."
★★★★☆ | "Didn't expect Angel Studios to put out something this gritty, and it mostly works."
★★★☆☆ | "Good popcorn action movie, but it won't stick with you after the credits roll."
★★★★☆ | "Santoro makes for a genuinely menacing antagonist, more personal than your average cartel villain."
