Runner, the new action film starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson, opens in Russian cinemas on September 17, 2026, according to a review published by Championat.com. The reviewer gave the film 7 out of 10, calling it a throwback buddy movie that channels the spirit of 1990s action comedies.
The review said Runner follows Hank, played by Ritchson, a former soldier and recovering alcoholic still grieving the death of his daughter. Hank works as an elite courier who transports even the most difficult cargo, from wayward politicians to endangered parrots.
According to the review, Hank's latest assignment looks like a simple 20-minute job: collect a liver at the airport and rush it to a hospital for a sick girl. Two complications arise. The organ comes with an extremely talkative escort named Ben, played by Wilson, and a powerful gangster desperately wants the liver for himself.
Cast and release details
Runner is directed by Scott Waugh, whose credits include Need for Speed and Act of Valor. The cast includes Ritchson, Wilson, Leila George and other actors, the review noted. It is an American-made action film, and Championat.com's review confirmed that official screenings in Russia begin September 17, 2026.
An odd-couple road trip
The review described Runner as an extended adventure shared by two mismatched companions who initially dislike each other and seem to come from different planets. One character, Ben, is charismatic, overly talkative and trained to avoid a fight. The other, Hank, is silent, strong and driven by a sharp sense of justice.
Per the review, the pair are forced together through a series of trials: fleeing gangsters on the road, staring down guns pointed at their faces, and trading punches, all while gradually agreeing that a child's life is worth risking their own for. By the end, they become close friends, following a formula the reviewer said fits comfortably into the buddy-movie genre.
The reviewer traced their own introduction to the genre back to a school friend's VHS collection, recalling Lethal Weapon, where Roger Murtaugh's catchphrase (roughly translated as being too old for this kind of trouble) became iconic; Bad Boys, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence; and Rush Hour, in which a nonstop-talking Chris Tucker wore down a silent Jackie Chan.
Despite arriving in 2026, the review said Runner feels like it belongs to the 1990s and plays like a younger sibling of those films. The reviewer acknowledged that this old-fashioned quality will put off many viewers, but said it worked for them personally because the action, humor and nostalgia offset the film's predictability.
Chemistry between Ritchson and Wilson
The review credited much of Runner's success to its two leads. Ritchson, known for playing Jack Reacher in Amazon's television series Reacher, was described as easy to root for, both as an action hero and as someone who has spoken about overcoming severe depression and now helps others cope with similar struggles. Wilson, known for comedies including Wedding Crashers, was said to retain his trademark charm even on an off day with a weak script.
The review said the plot's predictability is offset by constant bickering, jokes and the "chemistry" between the two characters, adding that viewers will follow them fondly and be moved by the finale, which it said avoids the genre's most conventional ending.
Action scenes and axe fights
The review praised Runner's action sequences, crediting Ritchson's fight choreography. It described him throwing opponents into walls, choking them and mixing hooks with jabs in sequences that combine grounded realism with the fury of a street brawl. When straightforward fistfights grow tiresome, the reviewer noted, Ritchson's character can simply plant an axe in a wall and impale an enemy on it.
Final verdict: 7 out of 10
The review stopped short of calling Runner a masterpiece or ranking it among the top five performances of either Ritchson's or Wilson's careers, but described it as a solid, nostalgic buddy comedy, one of the more successful examples released in recent years. It argued that even a recent pairing of John Cena and Jackie Chan in a buddy-action film failed to produce similar chemistry, while Wilson and Ritchson succeeded.
Summing up, the review said Runner is a classic buddy movie in which the leads argue, overcome obstacles and end up a dream team by the finale, and that the formula works well enough to entertain through jokes, fights and several dramatic moments. It suggested viewers who grew up loving Bad Boys and Rush Hour are likely to enjoy the film.
Among the positives listed in the review were the chemistry between Ritchson and Wilson, grounded action sequences and moments of unexpected drama. Listed negatives included a predictable plot and a lack of anything new for the genre.
