Tri-Star Pictures
When it comes to overlooked Michael Crichton movies, look no further than 1984’s “Runaway.” Even though the film stars Tom Selleck — at the height of his ’80s popularity — and rock star Gene Simmons, Crichton’s sci-fi actioner never quite caught on. That’s a shame, as “Runaway” would have been the best killer robot movie of 1984 if James Cameron’s “The Terminator” hadn’t come along. That said, “Runaway” is currently streaming for free on Tubi, so maybe it’s time to give this gem another look.
“Runaway” takes place in a future where people use robots to help out with household tasks, but, as you might expect, the machines suddenly start killing their masters at the behest of a villainous programmer named Charles Luther (Simmons), who’s packing weapons and gadgets. With the madman on the loose, Sergeant Jack Ramsay (Selleck) and Officer Karen Thompson (Cynthia Rhodes) must save the day. This movie uses some of the same ideas Crichton explored in 1973’s “Westworld” — the first live-action movie to use CGI — and “Jurassic Park.” These films are cautionary tales about unchecked technological and scientific advancement, but they also happen to be very entertaining. “Runaway” isn’t a classic like “Jurassic Park,” mind you, but it’s great fun if you’re a fan of ’80s excess.
Gene Simmons steals the show in Runaway
Tri-Star Pictures
Despite boasting a similar premise to “The Terminator,” “Runaway” couldn’t be any more different. James Cameron’s film treats the killer robot concept seriously, resulting in a terrifying techno-slasher actioner that became one of the best sci-fi films of all time. By contrast, “Runaway” is a cliche-ridden thriller that’s quite cheesy, but that isn’t a bad thing.
“Runaway” has plenty of fun moments. Gene Simmons brings his larger-than-life presence to the screen, toeing a fine line between scary, hilarious, and over-the-top. His character also controls robot spiders that shoot acid into the veins of their victims, and what’s not to love about that? Elsewhere, Tom Selleck and Cynthia Rhodes have good on-screen chemistry as the detectives who later become lovers, and Kirstie Alley also makes an appearance, years before her breakout role on “Cheers.”
The movie was a box office flop in the ’80s, and its 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes indicates as much. However, now that the movie is streaming for free on Tubi, it’s worth checking it out and making up your own mind. If nothing else, you will get to see Gene Simmons causing torment with mechanical spiders.
