HOLLYWOOD—There can be those movies that get you emotionally invested right away. I kept hearing about this movie “The Long Walk” being one of the best films of the year and man does it deliver a gut punch with some riveting characters, that while on paper feels boring, but you become so invested you cannot turn your eyes away from it.
The film is an adaptation of horror icon Stephen King’s novel, and it is led by terrific performances from all the actors in the film, but in particular by David Jonsson and Cooper Hoofman. Jonsson portrays Peter McVries aka as #23, who is on this arduous journey alongside Raymond ‘Ray’ Garraty aka #47.
The boys are part of a televised entertainment event in a post-apocalyptic America after a war that has left many parts of the country beyond destitute. One boy is chosen by lottery from each state to participate in the event. Most of the boys have signed up in hopes of winning the large cash prize by being the last one standing, in addition to having one wish of theirs being granted at the same time. They need the money for their family to ensure survival.
It sounds easy; sounds great, but there is a problem, the hands of ‘The Long Walk’ is at the behest of ‘The Major’ portrayed by a cold Mark Hamill. The chaos starts earlier and it’s a horror for the viewer to watch; if you stop walking or after that third warning, you’re shot dead right in front of everyone watching and those other boys who are walking with you. It is brutal and visceral and shocked me seeing the first kid lose his life because he caught a charley-horse and couldn’t continue to walk.
Even more horrifying is witnessing one of the boys suffer from diarrhea and not be able to continue to walk and being shot dead as a result. Making matters worse is seeing one of the walkers literally break his foot as a result of the excruciating walk and walking on his ankle that is literally bent and ultimately give up. The result he’s shot in the head and killed.
You may think there is end in sight that the boys only have to walk so many miles, but you would be wrong. You walk until there is only one left standing. So what you think might be 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, ultimately clocks in over 300 miles over a period of five days where, I have to assume the boys are able to sleep at night, but if they are, the viewers don’t get to see it, which makes me wonder if one sleeps, while holding up the other, but that even seems impossible or beyond possible.
That is where we see the bond of friendships evolve between Ray and Peter, both from different worlds with different goals in hand. One plans to get his hands on an M16 (Ray) so he can take out The Major who is responsible for his father’s demise for political disagreement (crazy how potent that is in today’s current climate). The other, Peter hopes to have a wish granted to change the mayhem that has become their present-day society.
They have interactions with other boys during the walk that become intense, psychologically depressing, but gives you hope at the same time. One deals with the fear of being labeled as a killer after pushing another walker too far. Bonds with the boys are severed as they drop one-by-one and find themselves unable to rescue or prevent the pending doom. However, it is the brotherly love between Ray and Peter that shines thru. Jonsson is fantastic in the role, who previously shined in “Alien: Romulus,” which Cooper Hoofman was a name I never heard of before this movie, but with the performance he delivers, Hollywood should watch out.
I love that the narrative doesn’t give us a backstory of WHY this event transpires and how The Major has come to power. I want to know, but the fact that I don’t know, just intrigued me so much more. We don’t see much of the soldiers or any dialogue from them before taking out the boys. There is so much meat to the narrative that is not disclosed you feel the deaths that much more, even though you get small slices of these characters.
Other strong performances are courtesy of Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Judy Greer and a host of others. “The Long Walk” is a journey people, but it is one that you absolutely must take.
