The Long Walk
A wave of nostalgia carrying the young-adult franchise boom of the late Aughts and early 2010s has crested onto our social media feeds as of late. Twilight and The Hunger Games entries are being reread and rewatched at a feverish pace by Gen Z-ers and millennials alike.
At first glance, The Long Walk — adapted from the 1979 novel of the same name, which was written by horror maestro Stephen King under his Richard Bachman pseudonym — fits in snugly alongside these films with its dystopian thriller plot. It even features future movie stars (the excellent Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson) atop its cast list and is directed by Francis Lawrence, the shepherd of the Hunger Games film franchise. The Long Walk has a similar visual palette as those YA adaptations, which were hugely popular in the last decade. But once characters start getting their brains blown out at point-blank range, you’ll realize you’re in for a slightly different type of ride.
Set in a totalitarian nation, The Long Walk centers on a group of young men who compete in an annual walking contest in which they must maintain a constant speed (at least 3 mph). If they slow, they are executed on the spot. The contest ends when only one of the contestants remains alive. Screenwriter JT Mollner (director of last year’s electric crime thriller Strange Darling) carves King’s nearly 400-page novel down to the bone. The story starts with Hoffman’s Raymond Garraty on the way to the competition and ends at the finish line, with just a couple of flashbacks in between.
The aforementioned Hoffman and Jonsson star as Garraty and Peter McVries, who — despite the cutthroat circumstances — quickly form a strong bond. Following their attention-grabbing performances in Licorice Pizza and Alien: Romulus, respectively, Hoffman and Jonsson were both primed for a true breakout performance — that moment has arrived. They are equal parts affable and chilling as they lead a strong cast, which also includes Tut Nyuot and the hilarious Ben Wang, who join the duo to round out the “Four Horsemen.” Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick and Charlie Plummer play a trio of varyingly combative antagonists.
The endearing performances are a consistent bright spot — but they make the inevitable eliminations that much harder. In classic King fashion, and despite its YA-esque trappings, The Long Walk is not for the faint of heart. Contestants bleed out, commit suicide-by-soldier and have destructive bouts of diarrhea. Bones break and teeth fall out. A spork is used as a shiv. It is gruesome, disgusting and bleak.
But thanks to a pitch-perfect pace and some truly strong performances up and down the call sheet, The Long Walk is a well-constructed horror blockbuster that (most) audience members will enjoy. Wear your most comfortable walking shoes.
