THE LONG WALK – Lawrence Adapts King… for a Modern-Day Dystopian Masterpiece!

THE LONG WALK is directed by Francis Lawrence. The film stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Josh Hamilton, Charlie Plummer, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill.

In the future, the United States is a desolate place, with widespread poverty and little hope for a better future. Annually, an event called The Long Walk is held, which young men can enter a lottery to participate in. The winner of the event receives a substantial cash price and a wish granted… but falling behind or attempting to leave the walking track results in execution, all until one young man remains. There are no breaks or pit stops along the way. Raymond Garraty is chosen for the event and wants to win to better his life and that of his widowed mother, but everyone else also has their own motive for entering the event. Their endurance, sanity, and everything in between will be tested as they endure the long road ahead, with no finish line in sight.

How many Stephen King adaptations are there? That’s not an easy question to answer, but there are a TON of them. The Master of Suspense is regularly adapted for film, and it’s not hard at all to see why. His tales are timeless and entertain audiences all over the world. THE LONG WALK was not a King story I was familiar with. However, I was certainly eager to check out the film upon hearing it would be directed by Francis Lawrence, the man who helped four of the five films in THE HUNGER GAMES series, as well as I AM LEGEND.

Lawrence proves to be the perfect man for this adaptation, whose screenplay was penned by Las Vegas’ own JT Mollner, who has been on a hot streak of his own lately. THE LONG WALK is, at times, a difficult watch. But it’s brutally honest and shockingly relevant, gorgeously showcasing how timeless the themes of King’s stories are. A great cast, portraying young men pushed to their limits, seals the deal. It’s one of the best Stephen King film adaptations of recent years.

THE LONG WALK wastes absolutely no time getting down to business. There’s a small bit of exposition at the beginning of the film to set things up (and a handful of brief flashbacks to serve the same purpose), but before long at all, our heroes are walking down a road, having to keep up a steady pace, lest they be executed and out of the race. Suspense is around every corner. Living conditions in the spots passed through are squalid and desolate. For being a movie that’s literally mostly a group of people walking, THE LONG WALK is never boring. And the goings-on are in the capable hands of director Francis Lawrence, who due to his work on productions like THE HUNGER GAMES franchise and I AM LEGEND, is no stranger to dystopian settings, and Jo Willems, who worked as cinematographer on many of Lawrence’s other works, makes the visual style of the movie deliberately dull and lacking vibrancy, beautifully illustrating the hell hole our characters inhabit.

The world building and set design further establish what King so expertly crafted in a novel back in the day. In its time of writing, the events of the story could very well have served as an allegory for the Vietnam War and conscription laws of the day. But even today, this concept feels fresh, with so many people in the world who lack power and the ability to bring about a real change in the world. The walk itself goes through many different and interesting settings. Spectators on the roadside include those who salute the brave young men who took up the challenge, and those who watch eagerly to see if they get to witness the killing of a contestant who falls behind and out of the event.

With a ton of young man as contestants in the titular event, we understandably don’t get a ton of character development for each and every one, but Lawrence’s direction and Mollner’s screenplay give us everything we need to know, making these characters sympathetic and relatable as they endure hell on their feet for literally hundreds of miles and several days. The range of these performances is shocking in all the best ways. There are fights between the contestants. A want to rebel against a totalitarian system that would allow such barbaric treatment of its people. Camaraderie and unbreakable bonds formed between the young men in the Walk. The movie even addresses some of the “usually unanswered” questions movies like this usually ignore. How does one go to the bathroom in an endless walk? How does one rest? How does one stay sane? What about nourishment? Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson play the two “main” boys, but there are a ton of supporting players on the road as well, including Charlie Plummer (ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD) and Ben Wang (KARATE KID: LEGENDS), and everyone gives it their all. Even the wishes the boys have, as potential winners of the race, range from emotionally satisfying to laugh-out-loud hilarious, providing some levity in a film that’s quite gloomy and dark.

A story like this doesn’t work without a ruthless villain, and we get one in the form of the Major, portrayed by Mark Hamill. The man best known for playing Luke Skywalker takes a complete turn here, with an ego as big as his tank. This character is sadistic and ruthless, but not above occasional moments of humor to balance things out and to keep him from coming off as completely unsympathetic. THE LONG WALK has excellently given audiences a villain they’ll love to hate. Revelations made throughout the film by those participating in the Walk even add some needed depth to the character as well, but no spoilers here.

THE LONG WALK is a tough watch. It’s definitely not for everyone, and certainly earns its R rating on more than a few occasions. More development and screen time for some of the characters would’ve been appreciated, but Francis Lawrence has created a modern-day masterpiece originally penned by suspense master Stephen King, with JT Mollner’s screenplay finding ways to update the story while keeping it true to its roots. A highly recommended film, if you’re not off put by its violence and disturbing themes.