The Runner is a 2026 British action thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald and starring Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, Alfred Enoch, and more. The film was released on Amazon Prime Video on September 2, 2026.

The film follows attorney Maia Martin, played by Gal Gadot, who receives a series of commands from an unknown caller and is forced to race across London on a desperate mission. Her goal? Prevent a star witness from testifying in order to save her abducted son.

Unfortunately, The Runner was a major letdown for me.

I went into this expecting an action thriller with urgency, suspense, and plenty of momentum. Instead, I found the movie dull, predictable, and painfully slow at times. The storyline wasn’t particularly interesting, and the film was filled with plot holes and inconsistencies that made it difficult to stay invested.

One of my biggest problems was the kidnapping of Maia’s son. The movie never properly explains how this child was actually kidnapped. Was he simply picked up while the kids were playing outside? Did he scream? Did anyone see anything? How did this happen so easily? There are just too many unanswered questions, and when the entire plot depends on this kidnapping, that’s a pretty big problem.

And then there’s the pacing. For a movie literally called The Runner, you would think we’d be getting a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled thriller. Nope. The movie moves at a surprisingly slow pace, and instead of feeling like Maia is racing against the clock, there were moments when I felt like I was racing against the clock just to finish the movie.

The performances also didn’t do much to help. Considering the caliber of the cast, I expected more. Gal Gadot’s performance felt very robotic at times, with very little emotion or urgency behind the character. I never really felt the desperation, fear, or emotional connection that should come with a mother fighting to save her kidnapped child.

Unfortunately, I struggled to find anything about this movie that I genuinely enjoyed. The concept had potential, and with a stronger script, better pacing, and more believable character motivations, this could have been a much better thriller.

Couple of Critics Verdict: The Runner was a complete miss for me. It’s slow, predictable, and filled with too many unanswered questions and plot inconsistencies. The story never created the urgency you’d expect from an action thriller, and the performances didn’t give the film the emotional punch it needed.

Frankly, this was an hour and a half I will never get back.