Many horror films in the modern era use gore as a cop-out to make a movie “scary”; The Long Walk is the perfect example of how you can make it truly terrifying. Another Stephen King adaptation makes its way to the big screen, and leaving the theater, I was absolutely shell-shocked. Francis Lawrence, an expert in dystopian filmmaking, truly puts his skill on display in what may be the greatest war film of all time.
The Long Walk begins with a very simple premise: a group of young adults get selected for an ultimate challenge with the promise of untold riches. All they have to do is maintain a three mile-per-hour pace and the last one standing wins. Dropping below the pace results in a warning, and failure to get back up to speed results in an “exit ticket.” The “exit ticket,” however, is not a plane ride home. Instead, it’s a bullet to the head.
Francis Lawrence creates an incredible atmosphere in this film. Scenes of excitement and banter between characters lulls viewers into a false sense of security, distracting from the dark stakes that underlie. The movie is filled with emotional whiplash, jumping from energetic banter between the protagonists to dark, gritty scenes of the characters’ fight to survive. Any short reprieves in this film are quickly cut short with the reality that any stumble could mean death. Throughout the 108 minutes of runtime, I was not comfortable once.
Stephen King’s vision for his book was one of brutality and horror, and one King himself knew all too well. His 1979 novel was inspired by his closest friends getting drafted into the Vietnam War. To keep the film as true to the book, and himself, as possible, when taken on as an advisor for casting and script-writing, King knew exactly what he was looking for. As The Long Walk was in its planning stage, King had one requirement: the characters must be shown getting shot. Many times throughout the film, viewers are forced to make eye contact with a character as they are murdered, ensuring that the cruelty is not lost on the viewer. Where many films may leave a death up to the viewers imagination, The Long Walk guarantees you know every horrific detail. Every death feels as though you just lost a friend yourself.
An obvious allegory for the war, many common anti-war themes are explored throughout this movie. Classic topics of militaries targeting low-income citizens, war-time propaganda manipulation, and others are referenced throughout, sometimes feeling almost too obvious. Yet, most of the scenes are done exceptionally well, with the screams of “it’s not fair” still ringing in my ears hours after leaving the theater. The robotic rings of warning signals, reminiscent of Hanoi Hannah’s famous “They Lied to You, G.I.” broadcasts, maintain a constant state of survivalist fear. The bleak, muted colors, except for the bright red blood stains, loom over each scene, mimicking the drudgery faced by soldiers for the 19 years of the battle. With every scene, the viewers are reminded of the dark reality.
The Long Walk was a deeply emotional experience. Watching these characters trauma bond only to be ripped apart left me completely wrecked. Very few films tell such a compelling story, capturing every tragic detail of its inspiration, yet Francis Lawrence executed to perfection. Where many horror films give reprieve between terrifying scenes, The Long Walk maintains an everlooming threat. This horrifying thriller will, without a doubt, go down as one of the greatest war stories of all time, and it wasn’t even real.
Final Rating: 5 stars – Perfect.
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