The Runner is an intriguing psychological thriller that plays out virtually in real time, following prosecutor and mother Maia Marten as she races across London after her son is kidnapped. Kevin Macdonald's direction makes the film visually striking and gives Maia's desperate journey a physical, immediate quality. Gal Gadot delivers a solid and believable performance, while Damian Lewis is effective as the sinister Caller. The brisk 80-minute runtime also works in the film's favour, ensuring the story never becomes a major slog, and the satisfying ending manages to tie up the various strands while answering several of the questions raised along the way.
Unfortunately, The Runner feels like a relatively thin premise stretched into a feature film. There is simply not enough action, with Maia spending much of the runtime running rather than doing anything particularly substantial, and some scenes feel like filler. The film's portrayal of London is also unconvincing, with its strangely white depiction of the capital feeling more like a Hollywood interpretation than the real city Maia is supposedly travelling through. Gadot is good, but the character could have been tougher and more resourceful. The Runner remains entertaining enough to hold your attention, but it would arguably have worked better as a shorter television thriller.
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