A group of teenage boys compete in an annual contest known as “The Long Walk,” where they must maintain a certain walking speed or get shot.
Who wouldn’t be excited for a team-up between Stephen King and director Francis Lawrence? King is considered one of the best authors in history, and Lawrence has helmed one of the more popular film franchises of the last few decades with The Hunger Games. Now, both have come together for King’s first novel, The Long Walk, adapted for the silver screen. The concept raises the question of how such a collaboration is possible. It’s a frightening premise that demands you tune in for the outcome.
The story follows a group of teenage boys in a life-or-death contest where they must walk for miles with no time limit and no finish line—just the last man standing. They cannot go below three miles per hour, and they only have three strikes before they are eliminated. The very idea of the contest is terrifying.
It helps that the group of boys are all respectable characters to some degree. They represent a diverse mix of individuals from every corner of the country. Some are initially unlikable, but by the middle of the film, you find yourself rooting for them due to your respect for their tenacity. They refuse to give up unless their minds tell them to. It’s a drastic struggle that each of them endures. They all possess different strategies for success, and, of course, some last longer than others. You feel an instant sense of trust when you’re around them. It’s as if, in the face of the end of the world, being around these men would make everything feel okay.
Described as a horror film, this one is certainly brutal. It is one of the most intense, vicious, cruel, and unapologetic films to grace mainstream media in a while. The characters who carry out the violence and mayhem are sadistic and show no remorse. Every death is painful to watch. Seeing each boy or man cry out in agony before their last breath is torturous. Some of the deaths are literal overkill. It is a daunting thrill ride that forces you to ponder how it will all end. Making decisions is difficult because the characters are so likeable.
One of the leads, Peter (David Jonsson), could easily be considered a crowd favorite. He embodies everything you would want in a friend, brother, or colleague. However, this great character is wasted on his relationship with his opponent, Raymond (Cooper Hoffman). Peter ends up serving as a magical negro in the film, which is deeply disappointing. He supports Raymond unnecessarily, seemingly loving this white man to an extreme, which is a major turnoff. Additionally, it is sometimes difficult to understand what Peter is saying due to his thick accent.
The Major (Mark Hamill) is the ultimate villain. He is the most horrific character of them all, and you want to see him pay. Unfortunately, the ending is unsatisfying. In the final two minutes, there is no conclusion, and you are left to imagine your own ending.
The Long Walk is remarkable in many ways. The characters are compelling, the premise is striking, and the execution immerses you in this world and environment. While the ending does not land as it should, leaving a slightly bad aftertaste, you will still be thinking about this alternate universe on your ride home from the theater and for weeks afterward. If you are looking for a good book adapted to the big screen, you won’t fail by choosing The Long Walk. While not perfect, it is well worth your time and will be remembered as a respectful, great film in cinematic history.
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