For “Runner Runner,” Justin Timberlake nearly resurrects his role from “The Social Network,” this time playing the slightly less obnoxious genius, Richie Furst.

Facing expulsion from Princeton, Furst tries to win his tuition in an online poker game, only to find himself cheated. With all the recklessness of Sean Parker, Furst flies to Costa Rica to get the money he is rightfully owed.

He confronts online gambling kingpin Ivan Block (Ben Affleck), who offers him his money but seduces Furst into staying and working for him for more money. I imagined this as a parallel to how Timberlake was originally cast for the role.

The film then becomes a free-for-all in the worst way possible, because apparently anything goes when it comes to corruption in Costa Rica. Block doesn’t seem to care when Furst falls into an underdeveloped romance with his ex (Gemma Arterton), because like any flat antagonist, he only cares about himself. Even the FBI agent (Anthony Mackie) just plays “bad cop” throughout.

It’s all about as boring as it sounds. The most entertaining scene comes when Affleck does his best (read: worst) impression of a Bond villain, shouting in a fit of madness as he feeds two men to crocodiles.

“Runner Runner” is ultimately much less about the world of online gambling and far more about the well-known perks and perils of any criminal world, coasting on the generic template of a crime drama right through its anticlimactic ending. Even the charm of Timberlake is no match.

_MOVE gives “Runner Runner” 2 out of 5 stars._