MOVIE REVIEW : Standard Fare in ‘Lone Runner’

“Lone Runner” (citywide) is a kind of Mideastern Western in which its stalwart hero, although not masked, could just as easily be called the Lone Ranger.

Sometime, somewhere in the 19th Century, the Lone Runner (Miles O’Keeffe) appears out of nowhere in a vast desert to rescue a stagecoach from the dreaded Mallakoot bandits (who are masked, by the way).

Its passengers are a rich Englishman and his young daughter; 10 years later, the Lone Runner will again be rescuing the now-grown Analisa Summerling (Savina Gersak) from the Mallakoots--but by that time the Lone Runner’s mission will be complicated by her father’s dastardly factotum (Michael J. Aronin), who has his eyes on the Summerling diamonds.

“Lone Runner” looks great with its authentic Old Araby locales, including a large adobe settlement, but tinny dubbed dialogue only emphasizes its triteness and pervasive vagueness. At least things keep happening at a pretty fair clip, thanks to writers Chris Trainor and Steven Luotto. O’Keeffe is almost as monosyllabic as he was when he was Tarzan to Bo Derek’s Jane, which is probably just as well.

“Lone Runner” (rated PG for standard swashbuckler violence) is best left to kids.

‘LONE RUNNER’ A Trans World Entertainment release. Producer Maurizio Maggi. Director Roger Deodato. Screenplay Chris Trainor, Steven Luotto. Camera Robert Forges Davanzati. Music Carlo Maria Cordio. Associate producer Romeo Assonitis. Film editor Eugenio Alabiso. With Miles O’Keeffe, Savina Gersak, Michael J. Aronin, John Steiner, Hal Yamanouchi, Donald Hodson, Ronald Lacey.

MPAA-rated: PG (parental guidance suggested).