Runaway Train

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Runaway Train

R

1986

1h 51m

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

37 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Escaped convicts (Jon Voight, Eric Roberts) and a stowaway girl (Rebecca De Mornay) ride an unmanned diesel speeding out of control through Alaska.

Critics Consensus

Charging forward with the momentum of a locomotive, Runaway Train makes great use of its adrenaline-fueled premise and star presences of Jon Voight and Eric Roberts.

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

Jan 4, 2018

"Runaway Train" isn't just bad -- it's bodaciously bad, grotesquely overblown, lurid in its emotion, big ideas on its brain.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

Wrenchingly intense and brutally powerful, Andrei Konchalovsky's film rates as a most exciting action epic and is fundamentally serious enough to work strongly on numerous levels.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Feb 9, 2006

Somehow one leaves aside the blatant implausibilities, the coincidences, even Eric Roberts, and takes great pleasure in a breakneck ride to the end of the line.

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

Aug 13, 2026

B+

Oscar-winner Voight (Coming Home) burrows deep into this messy, furious character and Roberts (King of the Gypsies, The Pope of Greenwich Village), still fairly new to the medium, matches him. Both have quite a few hilarious exchanges.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Apr 19, 2026

3/4

Runaway Train is based on an unused screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, which right there gives it no small measure of class and import.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Apr 6, 2026

4.5/5

Per the Cannon Films way, this still has breakneck pacing and crazy stuntwork. It also grafts a sort of sociological tone poem on the futility of trying to tame the wild using steel, whether in the form of a chassis or a cage.

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BM M

@BMann Aug 14, 2026

Superb acting. Superb directing. Intense action from start to finish. the only reason I did not give it 5 stars is bc the final 30 min or so got a little too far-fetched for me (even for an 80s action flic). Voight is fantastic but I think this is my favorite Eric Roberts role ever. He was perfect. Highly recommend!

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Joaquin U

@Joaquin1 Jul 29, 2026

Very entertaining. A bit of a forgotten gem, based on a Kurosawa script and directed by Russian star Konchalovsky in his bid to make a mark in Hollywood. Stellar performances and a strong cast anchor it. Some absurdities could have sunk a lesser film, but this action‑packed thriller manages to rise above the dumb with plenty of goodness.

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Frans B

@FransB Apr 9, 2026

Great movie. Stellar cast all convincing in character. Well written and brought to screen. Very good cinematography and effects. Lots of action, suspense, drama, emotion, intrigue and everything at breakneck speed. Not surprising that it won a Golden Globe and also various nominations, very memorable movie

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Nathan Y.

@NathanYatesDouglass Mar 25, 2026

A tough road to get to the end with some seriously flawed antiheroes, but the ride is intense. This movie is incredible. Voigt is amazing.

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Kimmo K

@Kimble98 Feb 20, 2026

One of the best movies ever made.

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Laurence R

@RT57665964 Aug 14, 2025

Jon Voight's worst movie!! Eric Roberts is one of the worst actors ever!!

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Andrey Konchalovskiy

Director

Jon Voight

Oscar 'Manny' Manheim

Eric Roberts

Buck

Rebecca De Mornay

Sara

Kyle T. Heffner

Frank Barstow

John P. Ryan

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Synopsis

Escaped convicts (Jon Voight, Eric Roberts) and a stowaway girl (Rebecca De Mornay) ride an unmanned diesel speeding out of control through Alaska.

Director: Andrey Konchalovskiy
Producer: Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus
Screenwriter: Djordje Milicevic, Paul Zindel, Edward Bunker
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Golan-Globus
Rating: R
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 17, 1986, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.2M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround

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