The Hollywood Reporter's review of "The Runner" assesses Gal Gadot's new thriller, directed by Kevin MacDonald, as a fast-paced but shallow ticking-clock action film. The critic finds it entertaining enough as pure spectacle, but says it relies too heavily on breathless momentum to paper over implausible plotting and thin characterisation, making it a forgettable diversion rather than a substantial thriller.

Gadot plays Maia, a London solicitor whose son is kidnapped by an anonymous caller (Damian Lewis) who threatens to kill him unless she murders a key witness within an hour. The review praises cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle's kinetic, on-the-move camerawork capturing Maia's dash across London landmarks and the tube, but criticises weak character backstory and shaky plot logic, including an underdeveloped "plan B" twist involving a bomb. Despite these flaws, the reviewer concludes the film's brisk pace and Gadot's physical screen presence make it a passably fun 80-minute watch if taken at face value.