Legendary writer Stephen King has enough novels to adapt into film or television that would sustain two major studios for decades. Some of his works have had a profound cultural impact, including The Stand, It, Carrie, and The Shawshank Redemption, among others. His 1979 book, The Long Walk, published under a pseudonym, has been seen as difficult to adapt by King fans. Fortunately for us, filmmaker Francis Lawrence adapted the dystopian horror novel and might’ve made one of the best adaptations of King’s work.
The Long Walk, directed by Lawrence and written by JT Mollner, drops us into a dystopian timeline in America. Fifty teenage boys are picked out of a lottery for the country’s annual contest called “The Long Walk.” Ramyond Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), Peter McVries (David Jonsson), and many others must walk across America nonstop until only one remains. If any of the contestants walk at a speed of less than 3.1 miles per hour, they receive a warning, and after three warnings, it’s lights out for them. The last standing person is set for life and granted one wish for anything they can dream of.
A simple premise, yet the screenplay by Mollner makes the movie so much more.
A movie feature just walking has to have a tight and engaging script, and Mollner handles that with ease. The Long Walk doesn’t use exposition dumps to give me the feel of his type of America. Instead, Mollner lets the dialogue explain the hardship of this world and allows the tone to set the stage for full embracement. Many of the characters share small parts of themselves that triumphantly establish ways for them to be relatable. I found myself having something to like or care for regarding all the main cast, even the more problematic ones.
Consequently, themes of friendship and connecting with your fellow man worked on the page, but the outstanding acting by the cast is what truly makes this movie amazing.
Much of the cast, including Tut Nyuot, Ben Wang, Charlie Plummer, and Garrett Wareing, acts in top form in The Long Walk. However, it’s Hoffman and Jonsson’s performance that left me speechless. The two perfectly balance the emotional beats on screen, while also bringing excellent dynamics to the rest of the team. Garraty’s arch is a fantastic display of someone seeking revenge, but later falls to regret once the severity of his actions becomes apparent. What Jonsson showcased is that the actor might be truly extraordinary.
In the 3rd Act, Garraty reveals that he’s losing all hope during the Long Walk, wondering if he might be able to go on. This is when Jonsson takes his character to a new level. McVries shares the hardships he’s endured. The characters equate the torturous nature of the Long Walk to his upbringing, saying that he has been on this “Walk” his whole life. He states that love, not hate, is what keeps him going, even though he feels he has every right to dish out the hate he’s been given. It’s a moment of the film that packs so much sentiment and left me gobsmacked.
Although The Long Walk consists of numerous scenes of people walking, Lawrence’s direction kept the movie engaging nonetheless.
Lawrence’s filmography is filled with sci-fi and action films that “go big” for the most part. What the director does is keep that energy going, but on a more subtle and shocking level. The film doesn’t hold back when it comes to the contestants being executed brutally. Lawrence maintains The Long Walk’s realism when he depicts the consequences of these people’s deaths. It’s a way to convey the violent nature of this world and how, in some cases, normalcy can be found within it. By doing this, Lawrence bleeds that realist nature into our reality.
No matter how many times I heard the gunfire, I never grew accustomed to it. At many times, it felt like I was there in the scene. Each lead-up caused my heart rate to elevate as the sound of the thunder-like moment arrived, and a contestant was executed. This left a lasting effect of depression as I felt heartbreak for these kids. We’re given so many of these distinctive characters—through hopes and dreams—that seeing them gone brings a sense of sadness. Pretty much, it’s a heavy movie, and Lawrence and Mollner contextualize that wholeheartedly with the film.
The Long Walk is reminiscent of a dark version of Stand By Me, incorporating elements of horror and brutal violence. I was shocked that the filmmaker behind Constatnie and The Hunger Games movies could go so hard in the realm of drama. The cast holds the movie together, and the script by Mollner will make it easy to identify with each character intensely. Mark Hamill as The Major might as well have been a portrayal of the Devil himself, and the actor doesn’t hold back. Still very entertained, but just be prepared to feel dejected when the end credits roll.