*The following film review contains spoilers.*
Stephen King’s movie adaptation “The Long Walk” is a soul-crushing, heart-racing horror rollercoaster, but it is also a genuine study of relationships and way of life, and for that, it left an everlasting mark on me.
This story, published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, was published in 1979 and is set in a totalitarian, dystopian alternate America. Years after an American war, the Long Walk competition is created to instill representations of strength and resilience in the eyes of the public, as the contest is broadcast for the entire country to watch.
With 50 walkers being chosen from each state, the boys are incentivized with the winner having the opportunity to do right by their state, as well as the promise of one wish being granted after the completion of the walk.
Raymond “Ray” Garraty is the first character we meet, portrayed with care and vulnerability by Cooper Hoffman. The son of the late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Cooper brought an immediate familiarity and relatability to Ray’s character.
Although Ray is arguably the movie’s protagonist, when we meet Peter McVries – played by David Jonsson – the natural charisma is undeniable and Jonsson is an immediate scene-stealer. But the real powerhouse is when Hoffman and Jonsson get to interact with each other and showcase their raw chemistry, which luckily makes up a lot of the screentime.
The first death of the film hit hard, as one of the youngest walkers gets a charley horse in his leg and falls under the three-mile-per-hour regulation, being executed on the spot. The close-up shot is particularly brutal in gore, giving us a preview of how gross the film would go. (No, I don’t want to talk about that bodily waste death scene).
I couldn’t help but get attached to the friendships of Ray, Peter, Hank Olsen and Art Baker, who constantly encouraged each other and held each other together, sometimes even literally, as they walked.
Although the humor is repetitive and what you’d expect from a group of young men, the camaraderie developed over time is natural, given the circumstances and is entertaining to watch unfold.
Most of the conversations between the group were surface-level, but Peter and Ray’s close bond made them feel comfortable enough to confess to each other their coveted wishes.
While Peter wanted to do good for the world with his wish, Ray’s wish was fueled by revenge over the murder of his father by “The Major,” the leader of alternate America, played by Mark Hamill. I hoped to have seen more of Hamill throughout the movie, as he only popped in a scene every so often to add a snappy one-liner at the walkers.
Peter disapproved of Ray’s wish, saying it’d be better for Ray to honor the legacy of his father by living and carrying on his memories of the world pre-dystopia.
This led to Ray lashing out at Peter, but Peter broke their silence and helped Ray through the most tense sequence in the film, where the walkers faced a steep hill in the middle of the night. Several of the death scenes made me flinch, but none harder than seeing Richard Harkness’ (Jordan Gonzalez) broken ankle that he continued to walk on for miles after the hill.
Hank, Art and the other side characters were given impactful death scenes that darkened The Long Walk’s journey towards its end, where eventually only Peter and Ray remained as the final two walkers.
Peter stated earlier in the film that he planned to sit down and accept his fate when he felt tired and no longer wanted to go on, but when he tried doing so, Ray refused to let him.
In a touching moment where Ray asked Peter to walk with him a little longer, Ray instead sacrificed himself for Peter, claiming that he couldn’t see the world like Peter could. Although it’s left unsaid, it’s clear that Ray’s decision came from comparing Peter’s way of life to his father’s.
Time seemed to stand still after Ray’s death, with Peter left to pick up the pieces. In a raw and beautifully tragic moment, Peter chose to fulfill Ray’s original wish, killing The Major with a soldier’s gun.
The large amount of gore and overload of bleak character deaths left me with a rattled, heavy heart as I left the theater, saying to my dad, “I don’t think I can ever rewatch this movie, but wow. I loved it.”
This film may not be for everyone, especially those expecting nonstop action, but for the dialogue-heavy, character-study lovers like me, this is a must-watch.
Like many others, I am looking forward to the careers of Hoffman and Jonsson. After stating they wished to continue working with each other for years to come, the duo has already signed on to reunite in an A24-produced film, and I cannot wait to see these two back together on the big screen.
