The Running Man - Criminally Underrated or Justifiably Overlooked?

Okay, so I finally got around to The Running Man (1987). Look, I know Schwarzenegger's filmography is a mixed bag, to put it mildly. But this one… I'm torn. The premise is genuinely interesting: a dystopian future where the state controls entertainment with lethal game shows. It's got that Cronenberg-esque prescience about media consumption, you know? But the execution…oof. It feels like they were aiming for satire but landed somewhere between slapstick and unintentional camp. Specifically, the scene where Arnie kills the ice-themed stalker Subzero (Mr. Freeze prototype much?) with the Christmas tree lights? Hilariously bad, right? And then Maria Conchita Alonso's character... she just feels kinda there. Like they needed a damsel, but didn't really know what to do with her. The dialogue is, shall we say, not exactly Mametian. But then, I find myself thinking about the deeper themes. The manipulation of the masses, the blurring lines between reality and entertainment, the exploitation of the oppressed... It's all pretty relevant stuff. My question is this: Am I giving it too much credit? Is it just a dumb action flick that accidentally stumbled upon some potent social commentary? Or is there something genuinely subversive lurking beneath the surface of all the explosions and one-liners? I mean, the social commentary practically clobbers you over the head. The portrayal of the media is so on the nose. Maybe I'm overthinking it. Maybe it's just a fun, cheesy action movie. But I can't shake the feeling that there's something more to it than meets the eye (even if that 'something more' is largely accidental). What do you all think? Is The Running Man a hidden gem, or a polished turd? Be brutal. I can take it.