Adapting the works of Stephen King into feature films has been common practice for many years. Not only is he quite prolific and admired across decades of work, but he tends to write in a cinematic formula that often feels like they were always meant to be movies. Of course, King’s film adaptions have been met with varying degrees of success, even some of his championed work being all but disowned by King himself (ie “The Shining“). Hollywood has started to dig a little deeper into his the works, and”The Long Walk” proves that that deep dive is the right move because this side of King – a departure from supernatural monsters and more the ones among us – is welcomed. Powered by an incredible cast and purposeful direction, this is a harrowing journey of survival, brotherhood, and hope. It is brutal and bleak but also beautiful and hopeful, simultaneously cynical and optimistic as the line between dystopian futures and current reality continue to blur.
It’s quite disturbing to see Francis Lawrence (director) and JT Mollner (screenplay) to take a nearly 40 year old novel meant to serve as an allegory for the Vietnam War and – without needing to change nearly anything – make it feel just as relevant today. That certainly says more about the time we’re living in than “The Long Walk” itself, but it nevertheless feels more important and haunting witnessing the tinges of its fascist undertones and disregard for human rights under the guise of patriotism. Both Lawrence’s direction and Mollner’s script seem acutely aware of this and opt to shy away from nothing, forcing you to take every single step with these characters.
It is violent and shocking, even if you know the story, creating bonds among its contestants and the audience quickly and then ripping your heart out with inevitable fates often framed with unflinching violence and brutality.
My stock in David Johnson has been all in since “Rye Lane,” and he continues his streak of transcendent performances here in “The Long Walk” alongside an equally excellent Cooper Hoffman. Both young men are racking up quite the filmography and demonstrate their capacity for leading roles and emotionally charged performances. While they are surrounded by a number of up and coming young actors including Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, and Roman Griffin Davis, Johnson and Hoffman carry us on their backs as they put one foot in front of the other on an unforgiving and unending road. They have amazing chemistry together, and with each passing mile you become more and more invested in their friendship that you know has an expiration date. Their opposing worldviews – one walking for revenge and the other walking for beauty – only seek to strengthen their relationship as things gets harder and harder and survival seems less and less assured.
It sports some impressive sound design that supercharges every daunting and unnerving moment. Every single gunshot rings out in lasting echoes that jolt your body and sends chills down your spine. And it ramps up with an unrelenting pace the longer the walk goes on and the thunderous boom of weapons never dulls or falters in their shocking, emotional power. The investment the characters makes every death meaningful even if it is done off screen, something Lawrence smartly varies from fallen boy to fallen boy. Some deaths are gory and close up, leaving you wincing and closing your eyes while others focus on our characters walking away from soul shattering screams and begging for life and mercy. This film is not for the faint heart, and despite the steady pace delivers a tense thriller that keeps your heart racing and eyes glued to the screen.
There’s a rich text that Mollner not only keeps in tact but shapes to speak to the reality of today. “The Long Walk” isn’t just a dystopian totalitarian warning both then and now, but also feels like a strong indictment of late stage capitalism. The meaningless grind of walking hard to achieve riches at the expense of others is pretty on the nose, and it doesn’t need to disguise its very clear messaging to be effective. It speaks to Lawrence’s direction to be able to imbue a terrifying thriller with thematic resonance, and the balance and pairing works incredibly well.
Visceral and raw but also profoundly human in the face of inhumane circumstances, “The Long Walk” may just be the best Stephen King adaption to date. I was locked in from the start, gripped by the stellar performances at the center and completely captivated by its arresting pacing and beautiful cinematography.
It is must see cinema, a film that is sure to sit with you long after the credits roll and solidifies Hoffman and Johnson as two of the best young performers working today. Devastating and hard to watch but necessary and heartfelt, “The Long Walk” is an excellent thriller that needs to be seen in a theater.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
“The Long Walk” is in theaters September 12th. You can watch the trailer below.
