“Are you ready?”

Story: Cherie is your typical twenty something young mom. Absolutely adorable little girl, absolutely dull-ass paralegal job, absolutely kickass hopes and dreams. But when a client dinner she takes for her lawyer boss turns out to be an absolutely killer evening, can she step up? Absolutely.

Scares: lots of tension
Splat Factor: women getting hunted and killed? There’s red stuff, but believable, not splattery.

Subgenre: Run Your Ass Off Horror With A Twist
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original. In fact, a super cool new twist on the Stay Alive Subgenre.
Year Released: 2022 (Prime; 2020 Sundance)

Trick or Treat?: Run is the kind of movie that makes me really angry at myself. Why did I take this long to watch it? Because it’s fantastic.

Ella Balinska as Cherie and Pilou Asbæk as Ethan pull you into their characters – and the story they’re telling – the moment they first hit the screen. They also work very well together, with a balance in emotion and performance that’s often hard to find in this genre. No scene hogging, even when things go absolutely insane.

At first, I was worried I’d be bored. Another run run run movie? Yawn. But. There are wrenches in the works on both sides of this most dangerous game, and an overall feeling of inevitability mixed with hope that kept me riveted. I got equally as amped as the suspense, horror, and action did. Give Balinska more roles she can really sink her teeth into, Hollywood. Please.

The themes of the imbalance of power between the sexes is in your face, but that wallop actually works in this film. There’s even an adorable doggo that’s integral to getting to the third act. And yes, the doggo survives. (Folks like me, who always worry about that sort of thing? You’re welcome.)

So what are you waiting for? Go watch this already!

Score: 5 out of 5 pumpkins.