History Film / Runaway

** During the interception of an agricultural runaway at the start of the movie, Ramsay and Thompson jump on top of it, only for the robot to explode in a large ball of smoke, to the amusement of watching farmers.

* ChaseScene: A fairly memorable one - Luther attacks a police convoy with roving smart bombs by having his {{mooks}} drop them from a trapdoor in their car, so the heroes can't even see where he's attacking them ''from.'' Fortunately their WeaponizedCar has a laser system defence, but even then they have to abandon the vehicle ''while it's still moving'' when a bomb locks on.

* ShipperOnDeck: Bobbie immediately realises the potential of Dad's attractive new partner.

* WeHaveToGetTheBulletOut: Thompson takes one of Luther's heat-seeking microshells in her arm, which fails to detonate as it hadn't traveled far enough to arm. They can't risk moving her to the hospital because it could explode at any moment, so Ramsay has to yank it out then and there - once he succeeds in removing it, he flings it across the room and it goes off with enough force to take out a wall.

''Runaway'' is a 1984 sci-fi film starring TomSelleck and [[Music/{{KISS}} Gene Simmons]], directed by Creator/MichaelCrichton (yes, ''[[Literature/JurassicPark that]]'' [[Literature/JurassicPark Michael Crichton]]).

TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, robots are as much a part of everyday life like any other electrical appliance--and are just as prone to malfunctions. But when a robot malfunctions, it can pose a threat to people or property. Such robots are colloquially known as "[[TitleDrop Runaways]]". As runaway robots can be somewhat more dangerous than a broken printer, they are not handled by company tech support personnel but by the Runaway division of metropolitan police departments.

* WeHaveToGetTheBulletOut: Thompson gets one of Luther's heat-seeking microshells in her arm, which fails to detonate. They can't risk moving her to the hospital because it could explode any moment, so Ramsay has to remove it then and there.

* TheDulcineaEffect: After noting how attractive she is, Ramsay charges in to save [[SexySecretary Jackie]] from being zapped by a malfunctioning security robot, instead of returning to his car to suit up in protective gear. He gets zapped repeatedly, snarked at by both Jackie and Thompson, and ends up smashing the expensive robot with a chair.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Averted - there ''is'' no AI, just machines doing what they are programmed to do, or malfunctioning because somebody ''didn't'' do what ''they'' were supposed to do.

* DaChief: Played by G.W. Bailey, [[HeyItsThatGuy known for playing]] the equally acerbic Captain Harris in ''PoliceAcademy''. Not that the Chief of the Runaway Squad doesn't have cause for tearing strips off Sgt. Ramsay, as Luther keeps getting away and police officers keep getting killed. Amusingly, it's also inverted at one point with Ramsay chewing the chief out about a botched stakeout.

...And less than twenty-four hours later, Ramsay and Thompson find themselves {{The Only One}}s capable of facing a completely unforeseen threat; '' the first robot-facilitated homicides.''

* AlmightyJanitor: The "runaway" squad is considered worse than desk work; at least when you're driving a desk, you don't have to chase broken machines while people laugh at you. Ramsay only does it because he feels his fear of heights makes him unsuitable for regular police work, and after years on the job he's become one of the profession's few real experts. Which puts him front-and-center when Luther introduces the world to ''robot-facilitated homicide.''

Sgt. Jack Ramsay (Selleck), an experienced member of the Runaway squad, is breaking a new partner; officer Karen Thompson (Cynthia Rhodes). Though she is enthusiastic, Ramsay assures her that there is little excitement involved, saying that all he usually has to do is flip a switch; most people know less about their robots than they do their desktop computers, and rarely take any better care of them than they do their cars. Basically, she's signed up to chase broken machines while lazy mouth-breathers laugh at her.

In the near future, when robots become commonplace, Sgt. Jack Ramsay (Selleck) and his new partner Karen Thompson (Cynthia Rhodes) handle cases involving malfunctioning robots. They get involved in the schemes of a twisted genius named Dr. Charles Luther (Simmons), resulting in a cat-and-mouse game with such weapons as guided bullets, rolling bombs and acid-squirting robotic spiders.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Computers are hardware rather than software oriented. Luther uses a mobile phone so he can't be traced. Ironically the EverythingIsOnline trope is avoided because of this, with Luther having to enter the police station to break into their computers, though he does tap (not 'hack') into the CCTV cameras.

* HardWorkMontage: The TitleSequence shows Ramsay working at the Runaway Squad.
* [[HeKnowsTooMuch They Know too Much]]: Luther kills the two Mafia gangsters at the Ritz after the police burst in.
* HeyThatsMyLine: Robots with voice synthesizers tend to do this, as they're programmed to respond to what people are saying regardless of whether they're the ones being spoken to.
* HollywoodAcid: Averted. The acid sprayed by Luther's insectoid robots causes ugly black burns on the hero's skin rather than dissolving his tissues.

* BigDamnKiss: Ramsay and Thompson share a kiss that takes up half the credits, while showered with sparks from the building site.

** Strangely averted with Luther, despite the fact that his killbots had previously exploded to [[NoKillLikeOverkill ensure their victims deaths after injecting them]]. Instead we have a NotQuiteDead CatScare.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Computers are hardware rather than software oriented. Luther uses a mobile phone so he can't be traced. Ironically the EverythingIsOnLine trope is avoided because of this, with Luther having to enter the police station to break into their computers, though he does tap (not 'hack') into the CCTV cameras.

* YouKnowTooMuch: Luther also kills the two Mafia gangsters at the Ritz after the police burst in.

''Runaway'' is a 1984 sci-fi film starring TomSelleck and [[Music/{{KISS}} Gene Simmons]], directed by Creator/MichaelCrichton.

* HomicideMachines: Luther's breakthrough and the only flaw in Crichton's normally spooky prescience; in the film, Luther is the first person to develop a reliable way of re-tasking robots to kill specific people on command, after years of robots being limited to industrial and commercial work. As of 2015 the military has developed drone aircraft every bit as deadly as Luther's creations, but industrial and commercial robots are still years away from being useful, let alone as common as they are in the film.

* ImpersonatingAnOfficer: Luther dresses as a policeman to enter the department and hack into their database for information on Ramsay. Strangely, everybody one the force is on the lookout for this maniac, but no one in the station recognizes his face.

* DeadlineNews: During the first "runaway" incident where a house robot commits murder and holds an infant hostage, a local news crew keep bugging Sgt. Ramsay for live coverage from inside the house. The cameraman actually follows Ramsay inside to document it despite his signs to get out of there for his own safety, and the guy is [[TooDumbToLive shot and killed by the robot]].

* EndangeringNewsBroadcast: The camerman who follows Ramsay inside the house.

* DaChief: Played by G.W. Bailey, [[HeyItsThatGuy known for playing]] the equally acerbic Captain Harris in ''PoliceAcademy''. Not that the Chief of the Runaway Squad doesen't have cause for tearing strips off Sgt. Ramsay, as Luther keeps getting away and police officers keep getting killed. Amusingly, it's also inverted at one point with Ramsay chewing the chief out about a botched stakeout.

* SignatureStyle: {{Infodump}}s, TechnologyPorn, RockBeatsLaser(when wielded by a GuileHero)... This is quality Crichton work.

* ToplessnessFromTheBack: Jackie stripping off as the police find one bug after another hidden in her clothes. The {{fanservice}} aspects are subverted when she turns to reveal the [[BastardBoyfriend angry red bruises Luther has left on her back]].

In the near future, when robots become commonplace, Sgt. Jack Ramsey (Selleck) and his new partner Karen Thompson (Cynthia Rhodes) handle cases involving malfunctioning robots. They get involved in the schemes of a twisted genius named Dr. Charles Luther (Simmons), resulting in a cat-and-mouse game with such weapons as guided bullets, rolling bombs and acid-squirting robotic spiders.

* AlmightyJanitor: The "runaway" squad is considered worse than desk work; at least when you're driving a desk, you don't have to chase broken machines while people laugh at you. Ramsey only does it because he feels his fear of heights makes him unsuitable for regular police work, and after years on the job he's become one of the profession's few real experts. Which puts him front-and-center when Luther introduces the world to ''robot-facilitated homicide.''
* TheBait: Ramsey takes Jackie on a LiveActionEscortMission to a 'secure location' to draw out Luther, and to [[PerpSweating force Jackie to reveal where the templates are]].
* BigDamnKiss: Ramsey and Thompson share a kiss that takes up half the credits, while showered with sparks from the building site.

** Averted when Luther is shown reloading his missile handgun after blazing away at Ramsey during their final confrontation.

* CampingACrapper: Luther finds the TrackingDevice Ramsey planted on the templates and leaves it on the toilet roll of a hospital bathroom. [[BoobyTrap He also leaves one of his spiderbots]] which kills forensic officer Sally and a SWAT guard.

* ComeAlone: Ramsey obeys due to Luther's extensive use of electronic surveillance -- he'd know if someone came with him. Thompson decides to come anyway, [[BigDamnHeroes arriving just in time to save Bobbie from the spiderbots]].

* DaChief: Played by G.W. Bailey, [[HeyItsThatGuy known for playing]] the equally acerbic Captain Harris in ''PoliceAcademy''. Not that the Chief of the Runaway Squad doesen't have cause for tearing strips off Sgt. Ramsey, as Luther keeps getting away and police officers keep getting killed. Amusingly, it's also inverted at one point with Ramsay chewing the chief out about a botched stakeout.

* DeathByGenreSavviness: Luther - he knows all the angles except the one Ramsey makes a living on; ''any system can fail.'' Ramsey thus kills him by [[HoistByHisOwnPetard feeding him to his own killbots.]]

** During the interception of an agricultural runaway at the start of the movie, Ramsey and Thompson jump on top of it, only for the robot to explode in a large ball of smoke, to the amusement of watching farmers.

* TheDulcineaEffect: After noting how attractive she is, Ramsey charges in to save [[SexySecretary Jackie]] from being zapped by a malfunctioning security robot, instead of returning to his car to suit up in protective gear. He gets zapped repeatedly, snarked at by both Jackie and Thompson, and ends up smashing the expensive robot with a chair.

* FanserviceExtra: Ramsey startles a topless prostitute during the raid on the Ritz hotel.
* FeminineWomenCanCook: By the end Ramsey and Thompson are falling in love, and how does he ask her to have a relationship with him? He says "Can you cook?", causing the woman to melt adoringly into his arms as the sparks fly. This caused reviewer Creator/HarlanEllison to do a slow burn. He said Ramsay's robot maid/cook Lois was featured prominently in the film (including a scene where it cooks pasta) so Ramsay's partner should have replied, "I don't have to; Lois can do it. I can fuck; Lois can't do that!"
* GoryDiscretionShot: A detective lifts a sheet so Ramsey can get a look at what a runaway robot did to two women with a kitchen knife.
* HandCannon: As well as the huge handgun that fires Luther's heat-seeking projectiles, there's Ramsey and Thompson using the Detonics [=ServiceMaster=], or the smaller (but still .45 calibre) [=CombatMaster=] as a plainclothes weapon.

** Luther's killbots allow Ramsey in to the exchange, but will kill the first person to come out. [[YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo That starts off being Ramsey's son]] -- it ends up being Luther.

* HardWorkMontage: The TitleSequence shows Ramsey working at the Runaway Squad.

* HostageForMacGuffin: First Luther grabs Thompson in exchange for his girlfriend and the templates, then when that fails he abducts Ramsey's son.

* ICanSeeYou: Luther does this twice to Ramsey, first by hacking into the security cameras inside the police station ("You're punching buttons on a computer trying to trace this call but you won't [[TechnologyMarchesOn because I'm using a mobile phone]], shithead!") until Thompson puts her cap over the camera. Luther is not happy. Luther calls again while Ramsey is at a restaurant, eventually revealing himself to be sitting next to his partner holding a pistol on her.

* ImpersonatingAnOfficer: Luther dresses as a policeman to enter the department and hack into their database for information on Ramsey. Strangely, everybody one the force is on the lookout for this maniac, but no one in the station recognizes his face.

* MisguidedMissile: Ramsey uses the heat generated by the welding robots, and a steam pipe he opens, to throw off Luther's missiles. One of the missiles is also seen hitting a candle on a table during the restaurant scene.
* MyGreatestFailure: Ramsey no longer works the regular force because he feels guilty over how his vertigo led to a criminal escaping, who later that night murdered a whole family.
* NerdGlasses: Ramsey wears glasses for close-up work; he forgets them when trying to remove the [[BombDisposal unexploded microshell]] in Thompson's arm, and asks dryly if she wants to wait while he goes down to the car to get them.
* NoOSHACompliance: The skyscraper construction site. Justified because only robots are meant to be there. Taken to ridiculous levels though when the button to reset the elevator turns out to be ''underneath'' it, so Ramsey has to climb under while hundreds of stories up.

* NotQuiteDead: Ramsey leans down to check Luther's pulse, only for him to snarl and grasp at Ramsey's throat...[[CatScare then he dies for real]].
* OnlyAFleshWound: Subverted when the 'minor' wound in Thompson's arm is only because the bullet didn't explode. Thompson is in great pain when Ramsey has to fish around to remove it.

* PsychicPowers: Ramsey is ordered to consult a police psychic for information on Luther -- he's not very impressed when told that he and Luther were [[NotSoDifferent brothers in another life]], but pays attention when she tells him that Luther will be in touch because he has [[MacGuffin something Luther wants]]. This is actually a good example of Crichton's opinion of psychics; they're mostly bogus second-rate stage magicians, but their skill sets would actually make some of them skilled detectives - this is ''after'' Luther contacted the station, so she's simply thinking about everything very carefully to reach a conclusion.
* RescueRomance: Thompson is a lot more willing to have dinner with Ramsey after he risks his life to remove the bullet, [[OpenMouthInsertFoot only for Ramsey to mess things up]] trying to emphasize how natural it is for him to have his female partner for dinner.
* RoboSpeak: Averted; robot voices are synthesized. At one point Ramsey casually chats with a security guard about the excellent voice of the Vectrocon computer system.
* RobotMaid: A robot maid called Lois looks after Ramsey's son, giving him a rundown on his eating habits and whether he's watching videos after bedtime.

* ShaggySearchTechnique: Ramsey and Thompson scan Jackie for bugs (turns out her psycho boyfriend has loaded her with them) but fail to scan her handbag where both the templates and another bug are hidden.

* SoMuchForStealth: An annoying news crew gets in Ramsey's face as he's suiting up to go into the Johnson house; he points out they're broadcasting on an EM frequency that the robot can read. The cameraman then follows him into the house ([[FridgeLogic why didn't the police stop him?]]) and gives away his position by coughing and refusing to switch off his camera light.

* TemptingFate: Ramsey says "I know what I'm doing" just before being [[StaticStunGun zapped]] by a malfunctioning security robot.

* TooDumbToLive: A news cameraman follows Ramsey into a house where a robot is armed and dangerous. [[RedShirt It doesn't end well for him.]]

* WeHaveToGetTheBulletOut: Thompson gets one of Luther's heat-seeking microshells in her arm, which fails to detonate. They can't risk moving her to the hospital because it could explode any moment, so Ramsey has to remove it then and there.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Ramsey is scared of heights. Knowing this, Luther sets the exchange in the climax to happen in an unfinished skyscraper.
* WildGooseChase: Ramsey plants one of Luther's own {{Tracking Device}}s on the templates before he hands them over, but Luther leaves it in a hospital bathroom [[BoobyTrap along with one of his spiderbots]].