Variety's review of "The Runner" finds Kevin Macdonald's new Prime Video thriller energetic but derivative, offering little beyond a familiar premise of a parent racing against time to save an endangered child. Gal Gadot stars as Maia Marten, a London-based lawyer and single mother whose son is abducted by an anonymous, phone-hacking villain (voiced by Damian Lewis) who forces her to kill a key witness within an hour or lose her child. The review argues the film has plenty of visual energy but fails to generate genuine suspense or emotional depth, making it a largely unremarkable entry in the "action parent" subgenre.

The reviewer criticises Mark Gibson's screenplay as brisk but formulaic, with heavy-handed dialogue and a contrived late twist, while praising little beyond its restless pace. Macdonald, known for "The Last King of Scotland" and "The Mauritanian", is said to overload the film with stylistic flourishes and rapid glimpses of London life, which end up resembling a tourist advert rather than heightening tension. Gadot's performance is described as athletic but lacking warmth, leaving the character underdeveloped despite the film's high stakes. "The Runner" premieres on Prime Video on 2 September.