Alan Ritchson's Back on the Big Screen in Bad Boys-Style Action Thriller

Ahead of the Season 4 finale of Reacher, star Alan Ritchson is back on the big screen. Joined by Stick star Owen Wilson, he’s one of the stars of Runner, the new action comedy that’s just arrived in theaters.

As of Sept. 11, Runner is now playing in movie theaters. Drawing comparisons to Bad Boys, the film is heavy on action while still featuring plenty of comedy stemming from its leads. The story follows an unlikely duo trying to deliver a liver for a sick girl’s transplant procedure while being hunted by a cartel wanting the organ for their own purposes. It’s rated PG-13, but it pushes the rating to its limit after being previously trimmed down a bit in order to avoid an R rating.

Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson Form an Unlikely Action Duo

Scott Waugh (Expend4bles, Need for Speed) directed the film, which was written by Miles Hubley and Tommy White. Ritchson stars as Hank Malone, a former soldier tasked with transporting the donor liver, while Wilson plays Ben Bishop, the unlikely partner accompanying him. Runner also features Rodrigo Santoro (300), Leila George (Animal Kingdom), Adriana Barraza (Rambo: Last Blood), Peta Sergeant (Snowpiercer), Geraldine Hakewill (Wanted), and Sullivan Stapleton (Strike Back).

The official synopsis reads, “A former soldier (Ritchson) is thrown into a brutal race against time when a critical medical delivery makes him and his unlikely partner (Wilson) the targets of a ruthless cartel. As the mission spirals into a deadly manhunt, every detour, delay, and bullet pushes them closer to failure. With betrayal closing in from every side, they must survive the chase and deliver their cargo to save the life of a little girl.”

Alan Ritchson’s Latest Role Reaches a New High

Runner is currently serving as the highest-rated feature film release for Ritchson this year. His Netflix action movie, War Machine, holds a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Runner barely surpassed that by scoring 67% with its early reviews, setting the new high. Ritchson also starred in this summer’s action thriller Motor City, which holds a 63% audience score. Of course, he’s still drawing praise for the continued success of Reacher, which has a 94% score for its current fourth season.

There is a fifth season of Reacher that’s already in development, though Ritchson also has other feature film roles coming up. He will co-star with Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Man with the Bag, a Christmas-themed action comedy film that hits theaters this December. He is also set to star as real-life Navy SEAL Michael E. Thornton in an upcoming biopic directed by Patrick Hughes.

Not to be confused with Gal Gadot’s The Runner, Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson’s Runner is now playing in movie theaters.