The Long Walk
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Francis Lawrence has an impressive filmography including the Keanu Reeves cult classic Constantine and almost the entire Hunger Games franchise. Now he is stepping into the world of Stephen King to bring the 1979 novel The Long Walk to the big screen. The film stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill. Could this film have the same impact as the novel on the big screen, or will it get worn out too early?
​
​The Long Walk follows the near future, where America has become a police state and one hundred boys are selected to enter an annual contest where the winner will be awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple - maintain a steady walking pace of four miles per hour without stopping. Three warnings, and you're out - permanently.
​
I have never read the book so heading into this pretty fresh with my only knowledge was the trailer itself. It seems like the kind of story that was going to be a hard time making work in this format and Lawrence has knocked it out of the park. For such a simple premise there is so much here in hefty layers and tension that speaks to the viewer if you are willing to listen. It’s an interesting structure as well that never veers away from the walk itself for too long and might not engage some, but I found myself truly invested in these characters and their circumstances.
​
It goes for a less is more initial set up with just enough for us to know why they are on this walk, but little else. It takes its time with this insane journey
that allows the audience to meet, understand and invest in every member on the walk. At times it feels like a slog of just random unimportant dialogue, but you soon realize it is all necessary to know who these people are, where they are going and a sense of realism of these people just talking and living life under these crazy circumstances.
​
Everyone in the cast is great with Hoffman and Jonsson leading the charge. Both are excellent here as they open up and go through every emotion throughout the story. It feels like a true bond that you can buy into and the heart of the film that is surrounded by dread. Seeing Ben Wang fresh off his more light-hearted martial arts tune in Karate Kid Legends and shift into this foul-mouthed lovable character was a treat. The real voice for morale and goodness here is smacked home by Tut Nyot that is a voice and compass for good, bringing one of the most heartbreaking moments of the film.
​
After seeing his fantastic performance in The Life of Chuck, Mark Hamill steps into yet another Stephen King adaptation here and steals the show every time he is on screen. The character is harsh, gruff and in a strange yet disturbing way motivational to them all. He never takes off his sunglasses and towers above them all, bringing a mystery and power to his presence that is the exact character needed to make this work overall.
​
Of course, this contest of sorts might be predominantly walking and talking, which is still interesting all its own, but it has plenty of moments of graphic moments in violence and other things that are not always pleasant to watch. You kind of have an idea who will likely win and maybe even a twist to the whole thing, but it throws in plenty of curveballs to keep you on your toes and makes you realize no one here is safe. When the film ended, I realized it was a film that won’t work for everyone, but I loved it more than I thought I would from the opening scene to the final perfect scene and hope it finds the audience it deserves.
​
In addition to the film, this release offers bonus content including trailers, featurettes, an alternate ending and more. Strap up your laces and take The Long Walk available now on digital, 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
