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Tom Selleck, Cynthia Rhodes, Gene Simmons, Kirstie Alley, Stan Shaw ... see more see more... , Joey Cramer , G.W. Bailey , Chris Mulkey , Paul Batten , Natino Bellantoni , Lloyd Berry , Michael Paul Chan , Babs Chula , Jackson Davies , Todd Duckworth , Deborah Fallender , David Longworth , Ann-Marie Martin , David McCharen , Elizabeth Norment , Murray Ord , Betty Phillips , Andrew Rhodes , Marilyn Schreffler , Cec Verrell , Steven Wright , Hank Hooker , Stephen E. Miller , Bob Metcalfe , Rodney Gage , Darryl "Tidy" Hayes , Frank Serio , Stephen Thorne , Barbara Iley , Moira Walley

Best-selling author Michael Crichton wrote and directed this science fiction thriller that combined the influences of Blade Runner (1982), comic books, and Crichton's ongoing fascination with the dang... read more read more...ers of high technology. Tom Selleck stars as Sergeant Jack Ramsey, a single father in the near future, when robots have largely replaced humans in performing menial labor. However, the robots occasionally malfunction, threatening human life and requiring a specialist like Jack, who terminates the haywire "runaways." Investigating a particularly nasty series of recent cases, Jack and his new partner Karen Thompson (Cynthia Rhodes) discover a connection between the runaways and Charles Luther (Kiss frontsman Gene Simmons). Luther, a maniacal genius, is masterminding a plot to create an army of killing machines. With time running out, it's up to Jack and Karen to match wits with Luther and save humanity. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Flixster Users

33% liked it

6,848 ratings

Critics

47% liked it

17 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Michael Crichton

Release Date: December 14, 1984

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DVD Release Date: August 22, 2000

Stats: 282 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (282)

  • phubbs1
    July 1, 2011
    phubbs1
    The man's man Mr Selleck is on top form here and so is that iconic tash as he goes up against a nasty robot controlling villain with his feisty blonde partner in a not so distant future (that future being waaay in the past now).

    Written by Michael Crichton and using some (at the... read more time) top looking robot effects mixed with computer wizardry and fancy looking imagery the film actually does achieve the aim of being set in a regular world now accompanied by robots with all kinds of duties. It reads like an Asimov story and is quite good fun despite its age, the acting is amusing and hammy, Gene Simmons is great fun as the evil baddie and the weaponry on display is quaint, its almost like a comicbook flick.

    Its actually kinda cool to watch this film and recall all this old technology, I think I actually remember those little spider robots being shown on TV way back, maybe on 'Tomorrows World' or something like that, loving those big chunky computers and the fact that Selleck couldn't track evil Simmons when he called up because Simmons was using a mobile phone haha how did we all survive without mobile phones!?
    Its all obsolete but its still much fun to watch which almost goes for most of Selleck's work.
  • ajv2688
    January 17, 2011
    ajv2688
    A great sci-fi action movie, very exciting and cool. I really liked this movie.
  • garyX
    June 9, 2007
    garyX
    More inept straight to video tosh from Tom Selleck in which an evil mastermind played by Gene Simmons (yes, that one!) tries to kill people with meccano. Silly.
  • deano
    March 18, 2007
    deano
    Fine thriller of a futuristic cop (Tom Selleck) trying to track down robots that have gone bad. The acid-squirting, exploding electric spiders are a good touch of genius.
  • robotbling
    December 4, 2011
    robotbling
    The Terminator wasn't the only killer robot in theaters back in 1984 thanks to Runaway, written and directed by the late Michael Crichton. The mustachioed Tom Selleck stars as a cop who specializes in neutralizing bots gone bad in a near-future where they've infiltrated nearly e... read morevery aspect of life. These aren't the replicants of Blade Runner, but plausible machines that are fun to compare with what exists today. This was another late-night Netflix pick, and to be honest I feel a little dirty for mentioning such sci-fi classics in my review of this film (it turns out Crichton was better behind a writing desk than a film camera).

    What we're really interested in are the robots of course, and the film doesn't disappoint. There's an irritating nanny robot called Lois, a security robot that tasers anything that moves, a small monocopter used for reconnaissance, as well as farming and construction robots. An autonomous cop car has a mannequin in the driver's seat and projects a map directly onto the windshield. Among the highlights is a small household robot that looks something like a Roomba with an arm, which ends up killing several people when it picks up and shoots a gun. Best of all are the killer hexapods that can jump and crawl on walls like a mixture between this locust-inspired hopper and Stanford's gecko-inspired StickyBot.

    It's comedy gold.

    The hexapods are supposed to be threatening, but they look like hobby kits you can buy today, which really cracked me up. There is some attempt to depict non-robotic technology of the future as well, such as the iPad-like devices that people are shown using, but otherwise everything looks pretty ordinary for the '80s.

    It all looks very silly, and it doesn't help that Gene Simmons is the central villain. He's armed with a gun that shoots smart missiles that can turn corners. It's hard to believe such a celebrated author penned this film, what with the immediate and cliched romance between Selleck and his cute new partner, not to mention his son's creepy enthusiasm for it. As for the technological side of things, the ideas actually aren't all that far-fetched. There's genuinely something to a PR2-like robot picking up a gun and shooting people if tampered with by a hacker, for instance.

    Unfortunately, even if some bits can be considered ahead of their time, it's hard to take seriously with the ham-fisted acting and cringe-worthy plot. Runaway wasn't intended to be a comedy, but like many films that try to predict the near future it's now entertaining for all the wrong reasons. It's the details the film gets right and horribly wrong, at the same time, that make it fun to watch.

    This review is a repost from my site: www.plasticpals.com
  • chadroesti
    May 14, 2009
    chadroesti
    Decent 80's Sci-Fi Cop movie with Tom Selleck's Mustache and Gene Simmon's tongue. Not bad, really liked it when I was 9. I remember there were cool little robotic spiders.
  • leekyle1968
    January 3, 2009
    leekyle1968
    A pretty cool flick for the time frame, always seemed to like tom selleck on screen and Gene Simmons was great as a terrorist!
  • kingmob6
    September 29, 2011
    kingmob6
    Watchable bad sci-fi claptrap, directed by Michael Crichton himself?

    Starring Tom Selleck and his mustache? Cynthia Rhodes looking '80s hot? Kirstie Alley during her thin years?

    Gene Simmons looking like the sleaziest jerkoff villain you've ever seen?

    What's not to love?

    Rental!
  • The80sExpert
    September 1, 2010
    The80sExpert
    This is an exciting and cool sci-fi action thriller cop movie. It's a good combination of all those elements. If you love sci-fi action thrillers, you'll want to see this movie.
  • jacobspaulsen
    January 31, 2010
    jacobspaulsen
    This is the kind of thing you watch when you are on Netflix desperate for something to watch. For a 1984 movie I guess it wasn't too bad. I do like Tom Selleck and this was his type of thing for sure.

View All Runaway Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

This Michael Crichton robotic nightmare is so trite that the story seems lifted from Marvel Comics. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Mr. Crichton has a much better feel for the film's gadgets than for its human players. Full Review

November 5, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Selleck provides a thoughtful performance, coming across as a real, feeling person instead of the expected Rambo-esque tough-guy stereotype. Full Review

November 5, 2008
Empire Magazine

Lady-cop-robo-fun. Nothing really profound here but who cares? Full Review

June 24, 2006
Time Out

Once it turns from the hardware and the action to people, you can hardly believe your eyes or your ears. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
February 17, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

A nifty futuristic thriller which effectively casts rock-star Gene Simmons as a very bad guy who just oozes evil. A fun flick.

Clint Morris
May 6, 2005
Clint Morris, Moviehole

Sci-Fi fun with the always solid Selleck

James O'Ehley
January 15, 2005
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page

Takes itself way too seriously. Full Review

Luke Y. Thompson
July 31, 2004
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

Fun sci-fi romp, with an absolutely classic turn by Gene Simmons as the villain. Coulda done without the extended make-out scene over the end credits.

May 24, 2003
Film4

It's rubbish, frankly, but rubbish in the nicest, most entertaining way possible. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Runaway Trivia

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