The Running Man, Edgar Wright’s newest piece of pop-punk-movie-madness, is pretty damn epic. Being a huge fan of Edgar Wright, it was one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and it met my expectations and then some. There’s just something about Wright’s particular brand of filmmaking that always tends to result in something so spectacular and exciting, and he’s been at it for years…
Starting out by co-writing and directing a criminally underrated low budget 90s sitcom, Edgar Wright has gone on to create some very impressive crowdpleasers over the years. While you should absolutely be running to see The Running Man in theaters, here’s what else the genre-bending master director has to offer.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
The first feature film Edgar Wright made with a studio budget that was released worldwide is Shaun of the Dead. And it’s a Rom-Zom-Com masterpiece.
It really can’t be undersold. It’s reached cult status, but the thing is so damn good from any perspective. The writing is intensely clever, the editing is comedic, the acting is understated and the comedic timing is right on the pulse. The dialogue crackles and the soundtrack howls and you’re laughing as much as you’re wincing at gore. It’s a cinematic blast, and a love letter to the Living Dead series.
Edgar Wright was just reaching thirty years old as he was directing Shaun of the Dead, and he brought an intense creative energy to his film set. Thank God, because this is one of the most visually creative films ever made, and Wright stuck with those guns throughout his career. There are so many moments in all of his following films that wink back at this starting point for Wright’s feature film career.
“You’ve got red on you.”
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Three years later and the boys are back in town! Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg returned to write Hot Fuzz together, just as they did with Shaun of the Dead. Thus, The Cornetto Trilogy was born! A movie trilogy linked only by the same director, the same leading actors, returning character actors, and inside jokes. And it’s as sweet as the tasty British treat its named after.
While Shaun of the Dead is a biting zombie movie satire, Hot Fuzz is a go-for-broke buddy-action-movie send up. Its riotous, calling out every single cliche seen across many, many American buddy cop movies. The jokes come fast and furious, and while they’re more centered around making a cozy English town be the backdrop of an American action movie, they also take the piss out of the countless, derivative action franchises out there.
The style and the wit and the charm is all still there, but this film moves at a break neck pace. Its one parts action, one parts murder mystery, and all parts hilarious. Wright and Pegg really upped the ante on the comedy, both visual and verbal, and with a tremendously filled out cast, had a lot of different range to make use of. The explosions explode, murderers murder, and you’ll be laughing all the way home.
“No luck catching them swans then?”
“Its just the one swan, actually.”
Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
Oh god, he’s making an adaptation? I hope he doesn’t lose his sense of visual creativity and fast paced wit! Oh wait, never mind. This is actually the perfect story for such an innovative director to take on.
A young, sheepish man must fight off Seven Evil Exes if he wants to date the *now* coolest girl in Toronto? Hell yeah. The cast of this movie is not even funny. Let me just say: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, Brie Larson, Jason Schwartzman, Anna Kendrick, and more. And more!
Also Scott Pilgrim is in an awesome rock band, so Edgar Wright got to include a lot of musically charged action sequences that are just too good to be true. Taking inspiration from a graphic novel series, the plot is condensed, creating a tightly paced and totally satisfying action love story. The fight sequences all have their own quirky twist, and the cast absolutely kills it. And dies. This adaptation has certainly left a mark on hipsters everywhere- and continues to do so to this day.
“I’m in lesbians with you.”
The World’s End (2013)
For their final piece of the Cornetto Trilogy, the boys made the most emotionally mature and thematically dramatic action film of the bunch. It’s basically a dramedy about an intervention wrapped in a science-fiction-action movie. And its amazing.
Simon Pegg plays Gary King, an alcoholic who just wants his friends to return home so that they may complete the pub crawl they couldn’t finish in high school. Pegg would later go on to openly discuss his real-life struggle with alcoholism, making this already personal film even more so.
The six main players are brilliant and have such an easy sense of chemistry. Most all of the cast have appeared in prior Cornetto Trilogy films, with a few newcomers such as Rosamund Pike and Pierce Brosnan to round things out. The drama of Gary’s situation is countered perfectly with an alien invasion plot, one that threatens the friendships and survival rate of Gary and his friends.
As the cast gets further along in their quest, they also get drunker, leading to a series of intoxicated hijinks with life or death stakes. It pulls you in and out of serious conversations within a hair’s breadth, creating a tense high wire act of drama, action, and comedy. This one, I think, is the most emotionally poignant of Wright’s films.
“I haven’t had a drink for sixteen years, Gary.”
“You must be thirsty then.”
Baby Driver (2017)
What’s been clear since Spaced is that Edgar Wright loves movies more than most. He loves them so much so, that he took one of the most tired genres and injected it with his own passionate musical bravura. And it goes from 0-100.
Wright had the soundtrack done before he even wrote the script. The scenes blend together not just visually, but musically, making this action movie akin to a musical, with its action sequences taking the place of musical numbers. The songs work to accentuate the tone and mood of any scene, feeling, or character.
Ansel Engort and Lily James are adorable, Jamie Foxx is hilarious, Jon Hamm goes absolutely nuts, and he and Eiza Gonzales play a great modern Bonnie and Clyde. The plot beats may be familiar, but it’s the typical visual zest, crafty dialogue and- overall- a living, breathing soundtrack that really sets this film a part. If you love movies, you’ll love Baby Driver.
“F*ck Bats! You got my wife shot! I don’t like that!”
Last Night in Soho
With Last Night in Soho, Edgar Wright dircted his first outright horror film. While its far from humorless, it’s certainly leaning more towards actual Giallo Horror than Cornetto-style satire.
The film centers on the beautifully talented Thomasin McKenzie, who plays Eloise, a young fashion school student approaching her freshman year at college. She’s an outsider, of course, and has a hard time making friends. So, what to do when you’re not fitting in with the cool kids? Escape into the bright lights of the 1960s of course!
The film is a time-jump-slasher-murder-mystery, and its a great ride. There are twists, there are turns, there are nasty kills, and as always, there is great music. The whole thing is drenched in neon and grounded by great performances all around. It’s the last film featuring the late, great Dianna Rigg, and also boasts Matt Smith, Terrence Stamp, and of course, Hollywood Sweetheart Anya Taylor Joy. It’s a beautifully dark and timely horror film that, much like all of these films, gets better every time.
“Has anyone ever died in my room?”
“This is London. Someone has died in every room in every building and on every street corner in the city.”
The Running Man (2025)
And now, finally, Wright is back on the big screen. While I’m sure there are a number of Stephen King works Wright would have a field day with, The Running Man certainly suits his style best. This movie proves we are in the right timeline, folks. Glen Powell, ultimate movie-star, paired with Edgar Wright, dynamic director, to make a story by Stephen King, master writer. Zoo-wee-mama.
Wright sticks to the story, for the most part, and gets some fantastic performances out of the film’s God-like cast. Glen Powell is a star, yes, but the side roles of Daniel Ezra, Michael Cera, and Emilia Jones add a lot to the plot with little screen time. Lee Pace and Josh Brolin have fun yukking it up as the bad guys, but no one is having as much fun as Colman Domingo as Bobby T! The Running Man’s host with the most.
Wright/King
Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall went for a much more faithful adaptation than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s version back in 1987. The action- to be expected- is a blast. A man on the run from everyone in the nation for thirty days? Perfect.
The satire and the story are just as strong here though, and that’s what I love. It shows Wright changing as a director, which was already clear in Last Night in Soho.
A lot of critics say that this film is not very “Edgar Wright”, but I couldn’t disagree more. There’s enough visual pizazz and cheeky wit to set this a part as a Edgar Wright film, he just cared more about creating the dystopian world King imagined, as opposed to outdoing his own visual and musical ambition.
The Running Man is a sure sign Wright’s still got it. (As if there was any doubt). And, once again, I’m stuck saying I can’t wait to see what he comes out with next.
“I’m still here ya sh*t-eaters!”
The Running Man is now playing in theaters, get after it!
