Run Hide Fight

Run Hide Fight
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Run Hide Fight is a violent drama about a mass school-shooting. High school student Zoe (Isabel May) fights back against a gang of her peers, led by Tristan (Eli Brown), who wants to secure his own notoriety and immortality by committing mass murder. Violence is frequent, graphic, and bloody, as many characters are murdered in cold blood. Explosions kill and injure people. In an early scene, Zoe is shown shooting dead a deer. The movie does little to try to understand either the victims or the perpetrators. But Zoe does begin to deal with grief she is suppressing after the death of her mother. There is a strong gender balance in terms of roles with not just Zoe but also other female characters shown to be intelligent, pragmatic, and brave. However, Zoe is shown to have a sadistic and vengeful streak, while Tristan is portrayed as being a psychopath. A female teacher is forced to remove her top and bra -- there is a brief glimpse of her breasts. There is also a brief scene where a character exposes their bare backside for comedic effect. Cellphones are a vital part of the plot, as Tristan and his gang live stream their attack. One character is shown smoking cigarettes. Due to the sensitive nature of the movie, families are advised to watch the movie with caution.
Community Reviews
Very good film with thought provoking commentary on a complex problem.
Report this review
Not Pure or Wholesome, but Still Needs to Be Seen Responsibly
Report this review
What's the Story?
RUN HIDE FIGHT is the story of a defiant teenage girl, Zoe Hull (Isabel May), who must survive a quartet of students who go on a killing spree at her high school.
Is It Any Good?
The opening hour of this low-budget action thriller is a tense portrayal of how the lives of students and school staff can be terrorized by acts of carefully planned violence. Run Hide Fight doesn't shy away from the violence it depicts. Blood sprays the walls and innocent teens die in each others' arms in between May's Zoe fleeing, then combating, the school shooters. But just as forcefully as the film announces itself, its story begins to unravel into a tedious revenge fantasy.
Zoe's grief for her mother never quite fits its intended purpose of showing us how she processes death. While the movie also wastes the talents of Thomas Jane, who plays Zoe's veteran father, Todd, and Treat Williams, whose cameo as Sheriff Tarsy seems to accidentally include one of the movie's best scenes, when he must distract roving news crews so that some more lives can be saved. Ultimately Run Hide Fight fails to create any memorable heroes, villains, set pieces, or talking points. Amid its confused pronouncements about vengeance and personal responsibility, the worst thing you can say about it is that eventually it's no longer shocking, just boring.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Run Hide Fight. Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
The premise of the movie is reminiscent to some real-life tragedies involving school shootings. Do you think the filmmakers handled the movie sensitively? Why is that important? What were the school shooters' motivations? How to talk to kids about school shootings.
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
What was the impact of Zoe's relationship with her dead mother to the main story? Was this done in an effective manner?
Discuss the movie's finale. What point do you think the filmmakers were trying to get across? Do you think they have a clear opinion on gun violence and school shootings?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 14, 2021
- Cast: Isabel May, Thomas Jane, Eli Brown
- Director: Kyle Rankin
- Studio: The Daily Wire
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: High School
- Run time: 109 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love action
Themes & Topics
Browse titles with similar subject matter.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate