Article by Jazmin Justo
“The Running Man” is a comedy adventure spin-off movie from the hot Korean show “Running Man”. Directed by Jia Hu and co-produced by Zhejiang Satellite TV and Korean SBS, the movie is making its debut in select theaters across the U.S. Featuring film stars Wang Baoqiang (Lost in Thailand), Li Chen (Aftershock), Zheng Kai (So Young), Angelababy (Love on the Cloud), Korean singer and TV personality Kim Jong-Kook, Chen He (Back in Time), Wong Cho-lam (Firestorm), Xie Yiliin (Woman Who Flirt), and Lynn Hung (IP Man), this is a must see movie for anyone who loves Asian cinema and comedy.
The film begins with a 2D animated introduction of a mystical forest called Aimai Forest where the Tiger and Bear clans lived in peace under the rule of the Peacock Princess. One day, Black Tiger betrayed the peace and war erupted. The film then cuts off to present day with a joyful reunion of the celebrities who are preparing themselves for their competition at Romance Park at the Aimai Forest.
After dividing themselves into teams, their mission to find the missing puzzle pieces throughout the park in order to win a tempting prize. As the players look for clues, there’s a major plot twist when two players have been “murdered” from the game. Hence, the story begins to unveil itself through fierce competition between the two teams as they try to find the “killer”.
The movie as a whole is very humorous with the right mix of drama, suspense, mystery. Unlike other movies, it uses a beautifully animated and serious story to gain the audience’s attention and then transitions into a humorous setting. The actors and actresses have a lot of freedom in the movie as they express their personalities. There are also flashbacks, matrix moments, and rewinds which helps the viewer get the gist of the show and in understanding the actor’s relationship with one another. For anyone unfamiliar with the show, the movie is a humorous introduction to why it’s so popular in Asia. For everyone else, it’s definitely a movie to be enjoyed by family, friends, and fans.
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