Jay Rohr
The Long Walk seems like nothing to fear. After all, there can’t be anything horrifying about a lengthy stroll. The sickening agitation it conjures, however, is a disturbing example of how the mundane can become terrifying. Watching the young fellows forming doomed friendships throughout their ordeal only intensifies the tragedy of this nightmare. Yet, this skillful melodrama may not be to the liking of all audiences.
Events unfold in an alternative history. Economic collapse following a devastating war has turned the United States into a dystopia. The annual Long Walk is a contest involving young men from every state. Each walks at a continuous pace of three miles per hour (4.83 kilometers per hour). Warnings are given to anyone who slows or stops. Three warnings result in immediate execution. Walkers continue until only one is left. The winner is then rewarded with fantastical wealth and whatever else they may wish for.
The story focuses on Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman) and Peter McVries (David Jonsson). The two become fast friends, connecting from the first. Through their conversations with each other as well as their co-walkers, the audience gets a sense of this unsettling world that seems uncomfortably relatable.
The movie is based on a book by Stephen King. While some elements, such as the ending, have been changed for the film adaptation, the major themes remain intact. Like the best Stephen King stories, The Long Walk is mainly about friendships which form during certain experiences. His fiction often follows people bonding through some degree of unsettling situation. The Long Walk is no different, and at its best when following this course. Some segments even call to mind flicks like Stand by Me given how well they recreate the conversations of teenage boys.
There is something endearing about watching the various young men chitchat as they willfully walk to their doom. The movie captures that irrational sense of immortality most teenagers possess. Director Francis Lawrence enhances this aura of willful obliviousness by focusing the camera’s attention on who’s talking. It’s easy to forget the boys are surrounded by soldiers until the executions start.
When such instances inevitably occur, they are harrowing for myriad reasons. Moreover, the earliest ones are brain-searingly brutal. The camera never shies away from seeing people torn to pieces by high-caliber weapons fire. It’s only later, as remaining competitors try not to think about the looming possibility of their own demise, that Lawrence artfully begins to blur executions in the background.
However, by then the kills aren’t what cause the horror. It’s the emotional elements of The Long Walk that inflict the most discomfort. Audiences aren’t simply watching disposable slaughter fodder, the kind of red shirt side characters whose only purpose is to provide gore for ghoulish delights. Instead, they’re seeing individuals with hopes and dreams being erased from existence for some vague attempt to boost national morale. It’s maddening, disturbing, depressing, and terribly plausible.
That’s because the film never feels alien. Unlike Lawrence’s depiction of The Hunger Games — he’s directed every film in the franchise — The Long Walk rarely feels like fiction. This isn’t some fantastical tale full of sci-fi aspects that can give an audience distance. Here is a horror that could very well come tomorrow, assuming it isn’t already now.
Meanwhile, the movie contains various metaphors. None is more pronounced than an indictment of war. Yet, room remains for other interpretations like individuals being regarded as disposable, the way society compels people towards toxic individualism, and how spectacle can be used to distract the population in a dystopia. Room for interpretations of racial dynamics abound as well. Each in turn offers the audience a chance to relate to some idea that puts them in the film.
This relatability is enhanced by instances of fabulous dialogue. The Long Walk frequently captures the general chatter of teenage boys, full of playful barbs and sarcastic conversations. It also manages to be sharp when the chats becoming cutting. These boys build each other up, but they also break one another down.
What sells such instances are the excellent cast. Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) supplies a middle of the road kid, who should know better, confidently heading into calamitous circumstances. David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) is the infinitely charming, supportive best buddy everyone wishes they had. Surrounding them are an assortment of interesting individuals. Whether the despicable Barkovitch played by Charlie Plummer (The Return), or the informative Hank, portrayed by Ben Wang (The Karate Kid), each performer brings to life characters who manage to stand out distinctly.
The only shortcoming of the film is certain dialogue sections. The movie can be heavy on exposition at times. Other occasions are lengthy monologues expressing the boys’ philosophies on life and their ideas about an ideal world. This can provide interesting backstory such as when David Jonsson relates his character’s history. More often it can painfully slow the pace like when someone is giving a diatribe about society.
That said, it’s nice to see a movie so full of words. Moreover, the majority of the interactions are heartbreakingly endearing, especially when individuals are trying to encourage someone clearly doomed to just take one more step. Though the film is full of death, few of the competitors really seem bloodthirsty which gives the movie a bizarre optimistic inclination.
The Long Walk may seem ridiculous until one watches events unfold. Its disturbingly plausible dystopia is enhanced by the ways the film shockingly shows the consequences of this competition as well as informs the overconfident how deadly this experience would be. The friendships formed along the way are the cruelest component because as these boys become real people the audience is then forced to watch them die senselessly.
Clever cinematic stylization, and stellar performances enhance the subtle effects of The Long Walk. Still, anyone looking for a breezy fast-paced meat grinder might be dissatisfied. Although, those willing to take this rough ride will find themselves experiencing something genuinely unsettling and heartbreaking.
