Its plot follows a low-ranking mafioso who is ordered to get rid of a gun used to kill corrupt cops only to find himself in a race against time when the murder weapon falls into the wrong hands.

Running Scared was released in the United States on February 24, 2006, by New Line Cinema, and in Germany on April 13, 2006, by 3L Filmverleih.

Throughout the night, Oleg runs into people living outside mainstream society: a homeless crack addict, a drug dealer, a prostitute, Divina, and her abusive pimp Lester.

Divina takes him to a diner where they find Joey, who is explaining to his boss Frankie Perello that Oleg has the gun.

Oleg stashes the gun in the diner bathroom, and after leaving with Divina, he is found by police officers who then return him to Anzor.

She rescues Oleg and tells him to leave with the other children, then murders the parents after finding evidence of snuff films and other paraphernalia.

Tommy takes Joey and Oleg to an ice hockey rink to meet Frankie and Russian mob boss Ivan.

When Frankie attempts to shoot Joey, the latter reveals that he is an undercover FBI agent, showing a hidden wire under his shirt.

Paul Walker pursued a role in the film because the script recalled the gritty crime melodramas he loved, saying, "This is a movie I’d really like to see.

"[7] The characters of Dez and Edele represent the evil witch from Hansel and Gretel, with their toy-filled apartment akin to the gingerbread house from the story.

"[10] To promote the film, New Line created an online interactive video game that recreates scenes from the movie.

The site's consensus reads: "This film runs with frenetic energy punctuated by gratuitous violence but sorely lacks in plot, character development and stylistic flair.

Angie Errico wrote, "This ultra-violent thriller from The Cooler's writer-director Wayne Kramer is filthy fun, with more wrinkles than a cheap suit and a climax like a Spaghetti Western shoot-out on ice.

[19] Justin Chang of Variety described Whitaker's cinematography, which primarily used Steadicam and crane shots, as "[dazzling] with a desaturated palette that nevertheless has a rich, grimy luster".

[8] Sam Wigley of Sight and Sound said the vicious gangland depicted in the film resembles an "iniquitous fairytale realm", although it is dark, and "passes in a vertiginous blur of comic-book hyper-reality".

[20] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle also gave the film a positive review, praising Kramer's "showman instincts" as "he never lets the story retreat, regroup or redirect but keeps going for broke.

"[21] Multiple critics said Walker's role in a grittier, darker film presented a new, interesting departure for the actor.

[24][23][25] Though she praised the acting, Cynthia Fuchs of PopMatters said "the movie's gonzo energy, an easy hook, also detracts from its thematic complexities, eventually reducing them to clichés without frames or challenges.

"[6] Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times said the film at times feels like "a parody of pornographic video game violence",[26] while Andrew Pulver of The Guardian wrote, "So berserk are proceedings...that a strange zone of calm insanity is reached, the cinematic equivalent of the eye of the tornado", with cult status a possibility for the film.