'Run (2020)' is centred on a wheelchair-bound teenager who, on the cusp of going to college, begins to suspect that her mother is hiding a sinister secret. For much of its runtime, it plays out as a sort of low-key (or, perhaps, 'realistic') mystery focused primarily on its lead character's increasingly cunning means of uncovering the truth. After a certain point, though, it dips into much more generic territory and takes the form of a much more formulaic thriller. After this point, the motivation of a certain character slips from 'almost understandable' to 'downright insane' and it loses almost all sense of nuance and, even, realism. Basically, there's a definitive villain who - despite having suffered trauma and clearly being in need of psychological help - doesn't feel like they can ever be redeemed. Naturally, this is a lot less interesting than what the film initially sets up. However, the picture manages to move past its mistakes because it's constantly exploring new angles of its generic events. A large part of that is thanks to the fact that it focuses on a disabled character (portrayed by a real wheelchair user), a perspective not often seen in cinema of any kind. She's smart, capable and resourceful; it's incredibly satisfying to see her overcome the increasingly difficult obstacles in her path. The flick is suspenseful and tense when it needs to be, taking cues from films such as 'Misery (1990)' to keep its audience right where it wants them to be. It's really entertaining, actually. It just trips over itself every now and again. It's ultimately rather generic in a lot of ways, which is a tad frustrating since it's so distinct and progressive in others. Still, it's a strong entry in its genre. It might not reinvent the wheel, but at least it shows it from another angle. 7/10.
Review of Run
