A group of young men voluntarily take part in a walking contest with prize money, glory, and one wish. With no real finish line, they will walk for as long as they can endure, until only one remains. The catch? Whoever stops… loses their life.
I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know how faithful it is to the original material. But from articles I’ve read, it’s said to be one of the most faithful adaptations. So I’ll judge it with a clear mind, without the book’s influence.
We know Stephen King hasn’t only written horror novels (e.g. The Shawshank Redemption). One of those works is The Long Walk, only here he delivers us horror. A different kind, more realistic.
The America in which the story takes place is one of famine and hardship. After a devastating civil war, a harsh dictatorship remains, forcing its youth into this twisted march to showcase the greatness of the nation’s men. “Make America great again,” said the Major… How ironic, right? Especially when you think about when it was written.
Through this ordeal, all of our characters will be tested mentally and morally; those who make it far will be changed. With death looming at every step—whether from a simple misstep or total collapse—as the miles pass, they struggle to keep their humanity and stay alive.
Here, Stephen King gives us a multi-layered work with many facets and interpretations. Issues such as solidarity, empathy, self-sacrifice, friendship, and brotherhood evolve and unfold literally step by step among the protagonists. Themes like the immorality of governments that tyrannize their citizens under the mask of democracy and the common good are embodied in the Major. Themes like cannibalism and the exploitation of fellow humans—suffering live before our eyes while we sit apathetically watching—are also present. Yet it also has an allegorical meaning: the long journey from life’s beginning to its end. A road full of difficulties we must leave behind as we move forward, with persistence, determination, and strength, alongside those who love us—even if they are not family. People who may simply cross our path in life and prove lifesaving. The true prize at the end of the road isn’t money or glory, but the happiness you gained while living.
The director did an outstanding job in every aspect. Not only in camera use, not only in the raw violence that maintained realism, but also in the incredible pacing that kept you on edge the whole time. Every step, every meter of this road is deadly, and the director wanted you to feel it in your skin. He succeeded, keeping us glued to the screen until the end.
As for the script, like I said, I haven’t read the book. But if we take it purely as a work crafted for the big screen, it was done very well, and you can see it in everything it leaves behind. How a simple story can offer so, so much if it’s well-written. The characters too were well-written and had depth. With incredible skill, the film makes you care about a guy who literally appeared for 10 minutes. They were given space and time to develop alongside the protagonists. That’s how well it was done.
As for performances, there’s not much more to say (Mark Hamill—what can you even add? You love to hate him, he plays it that well). Everyone was excellent, even the secondary characters. But I have to highlight David Jonsson as Peter McVries. Simply stunning, utterly captivating. The moment the camera landed on him, the scene was his. Just like that. He was the face of humanity in this film.
If you let the movie pull you in, it’s not for the faint of heart. Not so much because of the violence, but because of the issues it tackles—and kudos to everyone involved for that. The truly frightening part is how real all of this feels today…