THE LONG WALK Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Francis Lawrence
Stars: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garry Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Mark Hamill, Judy Greer, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton.
In an alternative and dystopian vision of a totalitarian America, fifty young men, chosen at random to represent their state, participate in a gruelling and punishing walking contest. The walkers must maintain a steady speed as they cover the distance, and they walk without any breaks for food or ablutions. Anyone who falls by the wayside, or drops below the minimum speed of three miles per hour, or stops for too long is given a warning. After a third warning he is then executed by the soldiers that accompany them. The walk continues until only one man is left, and he is rewarded with the gift of anything he desires. The callous Major oversees the walk and efficiently enforces the rules. The long march takes its toll – both mental and physical – on the walkers.
Among the walkers in this latest staging of the contest is Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman, from Licorice Pizza, etc) who has his own reasons for participating. Ray forms a friendship with some of the other walkers including Peter McVries (David Jonsson, from tv series Industry, etc), Billy Stebbins (Garry Wareing, from tv series Manifest, etc), Arthur Baker (Tut Nyuot), Collie Parker (Joshua Odjick), Gary Barkovitch (Charlie Plummer, from Lean On Pete, etc) and Hank Olson (Ben Wang, from Karate Kid: Legends, etc).
The Long Walk is based on the bleak cautionary novel written by the prolific Stephen King and originally published under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman in 1979. The story was originally written as an allegory for the Vietnam War and the American draft, which saw a generation of young men called up to fight and die to defend democracy in a far-off land.
J T Mollner’s script also adds in elements of a more fascist and authoritarian America, which holds some resonance with the contemporary political landscape in Trump’s America and its deep divisions. And the film also contains a couple of elements familiar from The Hunger Games, not surprising as director Francis Lawrence also helmed that popular dystopian franchise. The film also touches on themes of family, friendship, loyalty, survival and sacrifice.
Lawrence’s regular cinematographer Jo Willems captures the stark landscapes, the long empty stretches of highway, the deserted roads and empty streets, the vacant shops along a deserted main street, giving the setting a grim and eerie quality.
The performances of the largely unknown cast are uniformly good, and they breathe life into their characters. The main characters are well developed, and we come to care about them and their inevitable fate hits hard. Hoffman provides a strong focus as the determined Ray. Jonsson is also a strong presence as Peter. The bond and chemistry between these two gives the film a strong focus. Wang brings some welcome touches of humour to his performance as Olson. Plummer brings an edge to his performance as the troubled Barkovitch. Mark Hamill is very good as the villainous Major, a totalitarian martinet who is the visible face of the authoritarian regime.
King has written some 70 novels in his long career, and many of them have been adapted to the screen. However, only a few really stand out – The Shining, Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, The Green Mile – and now The Long Walk stands out also as among the best adaptations of one of King’s novels. The graphic violence is at times quite confronting, and the relentless, uncompromising and harrowing nature of The Long Walk makes it not an easy film to watch.
★★★★
