Alan Ritchson's New Action Thriller Officially Sets One Of His Best Rotten Tomatoes Scores In History

Published Sep 9, 2026, 3:23 PM EDT Fariba Rezwan is a Lead Editor for the Movie News team. She has been with ScreenRant for nearly five years, with roles ranging from list editor to junior news editor. During that time, Fariba has led coverage for breaking movies and TV news, including Hunger Games, Marvel, and streaming. Additionally, she has actively provided commentary and reactions to the biggest movies and shows on her YouTube channel, The Movieception Show. Alan Ritchson's new action thriller dashes to a strong Rotten Tomatoes score. In the upcoming thriller Runner, Ritchson and Owen Wilson become an unlikely duo who must deliver a liver to save a sick girl. However, a simple transfer turns into a cat-and-mouse chase when a cartel targets them. Directed by Scott Waugh and written by Miles Hubley and Tommy White, the cast also features Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George, and Adriana Barraza. Ahead of its theatrical release, the first reviews are in. With 18 reviews so far, Angel Studios' Runner is currently Ritchson's third-highest-rated movie in his career with a 67% debut on Rotten Tomatoes. It just ranks behind Ordinary Angels (84%) and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (68%), while beating out Netflix's War Machine (66%) and Above the Shadows (63%). Despite the formulaic plot, many critics agree that Runner works as an over-the-top thriller with the fun qualities of a B-movie. Additionally, Ritchson and Wilson's chemistry is the movie's strongest element, with each bringing their acting strengths to build a charming dynamic. Alan Ritchson's 5 Highest-Rated Movies Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Score Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score Ordinary Angels (2024) 84% 99% The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) 68% 91% Runner (2026) 67% N/A War Machine (2026) 66% 63% Above the Shadows (2019) 63% 63% In ScreenRant's review of Runner, Alex Harrison was shocked by how entertaining the action thriller was. Although the feature is tonally messy, "it also really works for what this movie is." Furthermore, the two strongest areas were the high tension and "letting star Alan Ritchson lower the boom," while "layering in some surprising detailing is a nice bonus." Meanwhile, the comedy is the weak area in the "tonal cocktail," but Runner is occasionally funny, and "Wilson's line delivery is the source of some of those laughs." While not flawless, Runner earns a solid 6 out of 10 stars since "its tendency to resonate in unexpected ways makes it quite enjoyable to watch." The iconic Reacher star had one of the busiest years of his career in both film and television. Not only did he reprise Lee Child's famous drifter in season 4 of the Prime Video series, but he will also provide support for the upcoming spinoff Neagley. Meanwhile, Ritchson had non-stop movie projects released in 2026, including War Machine, Motor City, and now Runner. Additionally, Ritchson's busy schedule is paying off for a very successful 2026. War Machine and Motor City also earned "fresh" scores on Rotten Tomatoes, with 66% and 63%, respectively. In fact, his Netflix sci-fi thriller cracked the streamer's all-time Most Popular list, with 139.9 million views. A War Machine sequel is in development, with Ritchson set to return. His busy slate will conclude with one final movie, The Man with the Bag, starring alongside icon Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Christmas movie will be released on Prime Video on December 2, 2026. His partnership with Amazon will also continue with an upcoming SEAL biopic, in which Ritchson will play the real-life Michael E. Thornton. Runner releases in theaters on September 11, 2026. Release Date September 11, 2026 Runtime 97 minutes Director Scott Waugh Writers Tommy White, Miles Hubley Producers Alan Ritchson, Deborah Glover, Jeffrey Greenstein, Mark Fasano, Todd Garner