The Long Walk, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 novel is a solid film. But what makes it truly stand out is something you don’t always see: the acting.
For those unfamiliar, the movie is set in a grim, totalitarian America post-war, where a contest called “The Long Walk” is sanctioned by the government. They select young men from each state to go on a grueling, continuous walk for hundreds of miles. The prize? Unlimited wealth and one wish. The catch? There can only be one winner. The entire film is this walk, with flashes of backstory. The contestants must maintain a certain speed and cannot stop, or after three warnings, they get “pew-pewed” in the head.
The story itself is different and compelling, adapted for the screen by J.T. Mollner. But the real heart of this film is the performances. The casting is some of the best I’ve seen in a very long time. Director Francis Lawrence, who you might know from his work on The Hunger Games franchise, has done a brilliant job putting this ensemble together.
I want to highlight two actors in particular. Cooper Hoffman as Ray Garraty is incredible, but for me, David Jonsson, who plays Peter McVries, is the star. There’s so much dialogue in this movie—it’s just them walking and talking—and every actor delivers their lines so brilliantly. I was genuinely impressed and I can’t wait to see more from everyone in this cast, which also includes fantastic performances from Mark Hamill as the sadistic “Major” and Judy Greer in a brief but emotional role as Ray’s mother.
That said, the film isn’t perfect. I had some issues with the sound editing at times; it was a little wonky and made it hard to hear what they were saying. And the cinematography, while it tried to get in some “wow” moments, was a little lackluster. I think the immense amount of story and dialogue took precedence, which I’m not mad about.
Overall, it’s a solid film. It’s intriguing, has some thrilling moments, a little gore, and you really find yourself cheering for these people. The ending was exactly what it needed to be. I knew it was coming, but I was glad they presented it the way they did. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars. Go check it out in theaters.
