Alan Ritchson's New Action-Packed Thriller Runner Gets First Reactions

Published Sep 1, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT Hannah Gearan (she/her) is has been writing for ScreenRant for over three years. Her deep cinema love traces back to age 11, when she equipped herself with a spiral-bound notebook, rated all the films she watched, and declared herself a critic. About a decade later, she received a BA from Wesleyan University, where she studied Film, Environmental Studies, and Writing. Hannah’s short film, Toxic Faucets, has screened at numerous film festivals, including the Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston). As a Movie News writer now, she draws upon her vast experience studying, making, and analyzing film as she approaches dynamic breaking stories. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Alan Ritchson's new movie Runner officially has its first reactions. Ritchson has fashioned himself an action star in recent years, with his Prime Video show Reacher gaining particular popularity. His upcoming movie is Runner, a Scott Waugh helmed action comedy about a former soldier who winds up being chased by a massive cartel while trying to save a young girl's life. Runner is set to release in theaters on September 11. The first reactions are now officially in for Runner after a recent screening, and the response has been positive thus far. Joblo critic Alex Maidy started things off by saying that the movie is "another winner from Alan Ritchson." Like other audience members, Maidy commented on Ritchson's delightful pairing with Owen Wilson in the film. Overall, Maidy encouraged audiences to "come for the action, stay for the bird" in a film that features a "stellar high speed chase." @movie_charles chimed in to agree, noting that Wilson and Ritchson make a "fun pairing" together in the action comedy. They also commented that it was "never dull," a good quality in an action movie. Even those who were less favorable towards Runner agreed that it was "never dull," like @LCJReviews who called it "not a high quality movie, but never dull" with an "over the top" final act. Critic Josh Friedman felt more positively, noting that the film "definitely keeps you engaged on the edge of your seat." Like many, Friedman also praised the lead pairing, appreciating their "performances and banter." Others had a bleaker take on Runner. @MovieStucker said that the film, which releases exclusively in theaters, had the feel of an "action film made for streaming," populated by "lackluster action." @BlackNezzy fell on the positive side of feedback, deeming the movie an "enjoyable enough action buddy movie," and also appreciated the main duo. Overall, the reviews slanted positive. Even if Runner may not have been a perfect movie by all accounts, this first batch of viewers at least had a good time. It seems that Wilson's deep history with the comedy genre and Ritchson's extensive experience with action come together to create an enjoyable action romp.It will be interesting to see how these initial reactions map onto the film's box office success. Ritchson's streaming work has thus far been more popular than his box office attempts. This makes Runner much more of a wild card, as its box office performance could go in a lot of directions once it hits the silver screen on September 11. Runner Release Date September 11, 2026 Runtime 97 minutes Director Scott Waugh Writers Tommy White, Miles Hubley