The Long Walk Review
Stephen King is certainly one of the kings (pun intended) of horror stories given how much he’s written. Whether it be It, The Shining, or even The Mist, King’s influence within the genre is undeniable. This year happily gave us more of his works transformed for the big screen, first with The Life of Chuck and very soon, It: Welcome to Derry. Although, there’s one of King’s stories that most people have only heard quite recently: The Long Walk. Though some might be put off because of its unfamiliarity, this film will leave you in absolute shambles if you stay the whole way through.
The Long Walk is pretty much what the title says: a gruelling walk-a-thon at its core. During a time where the United States is ruled by an iron fist, a group of young men are selected to participate in a walking contest. The prize is highly sought for: a wish that could literally be anything. However, this prize comes at a deadly cost: either maintain a certain speed or risk being executed. Although, for one of these contestants, Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), it means justice, by any means necessary.
Given this concept, it would be easy to make the comparison between King’s story and The Hunger Games films. Not only does the film have some familiar character archetypes present, but Francis Lawrence (who directed the original Hunger Games), also heavily integrated the style of that iconic series into this movie. This appears through the main dynamic between Garraty and his close newfound friend, McVries (David Jonsson).
The chemistry that Hoffman and Jonsson share on-screen is simply impeccable as they both make Garraty and McVries into very sympathetic characters. From the very start, you can tell that the dynamic between both of them has this brotherly connection that feels sincere, with soft-spoken moments allowing that depth to be made naturally. Furthermore, Hoffman and Jonsson’s performances are able to capture that physical and emotional struggle of their respective characters perfectly. They want to see through until the end, but both Garraty and McVries innately care about everyone else as well and Hoffman and Jonsson confidently show this.
Although, that is to say that Garraty’s motivations for joining this deadly contest is pretty foundational. Though he’s influenced on the way to see the larger scheme of this game, the film takes the viewer back around to Garraty’s personal cause. It doesn’t fully imply grander change to come, like The Hunger Games, but it does allow for some heartbreaking performances from Judy Greer and Mark Hamill.
Everyone else in The Long Walk has their particular archetype to play, but there are some characters who stand out. The overly direct Parker (Joshua Odjick) may seem focused on just getting to the end, but by the third act, his transition in personality nearly wants to make you root for him. The secretive Stebbins (Garrett Wareing) just feels like he’s there for the ride at first, but he’s cryptically hiding things about the whole game that’ll leave you surprised regarding how long he lives. The “brains” of the whole game, Olson (Ben Wang), is there to fill in those expository gaps and be a bit of a nuisance, but his curiosity somewhat makes him fun.
Additionally, there are also some characters who make some surprising changes, like the overconfident and snarky Barkovitch (Charlie Plummer). However, some, like the supportive Baker (Tut Nyuot), are unique in their personalities, but are ultimately there to stir the “dramatic” of it all. Still, though, the film gives each character surprisingly enough time to make you feel sympathetic for their respective causes. Of course, that’s only when you realize the group faces their inevitable demise, one by one.
The graded cinematography, guided by Jo Willems, really makes one feel the weight of The Long Walk’s stakes. From long shots that pull out to see the contestant count slowly dwindle to close-ups that linger on certain moments to nail in that dread, this film will constantly keep you on edge. At each point, notated by the number of how many miles have been walked, Lawrence makes it clear that certain death will happen. However, when it does, the sudden moment will linger in the back of your mind as the decision to actually show it makes you wonder how they could actually show it.
The Long Walk is a harrowing and absolutely brutal experience as Francis Lawrence ambitiously and successfully brings Stephen King’s first novel to life. Though King may have doubted the idea to bring this story to the big screen, this film proves that anything is possible despite the odds. Sure, it might not have the broader scope as other dystopian young adult movies, but this film is still able to captivate audiences in that classic King way.
The Long Walk releases in theaters on September 12.
Rating: ★★★★
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.