The Long Walk is a new film based on the novel by Stephen King, coming to theaters September 12th. Directed by Francis Lawrence and written by JT Mollner, the film stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill. Every year, fifty teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as “The Long Walk.” Among this year’s chosen crop is “Maine’s Own,” Ray Garraty. He knows the rules: that warnings are issued if you fall under speed, stumble, sit down. That after three warnings- you get your ticket. And what happens then serves as a chilling reminder that there can be only one winner in the Walk. The one that survives.

When I first heard about this film, I didn’t think much about it. The concept of a sole survivor in a game or challenge has been done plenty of times. I like that specific genre and I especially liked the cast here, but Stephen King stories can be so hit or miss. When you factor in the director of several Hunger Games movies, it felt like the film was trying to capture a bygone era of storytelling. Honestly, I couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a story we desperately need today.

Stephen King wrote this novel all the way back in 1979. That’s insane. Some could say Hollywood is scraping the barrel with adapting his works. I’d say Hollywood has found something of his that feels true to today. The film does a great job at making it feel classic. From what I can recall, they never say what year it is. Based on the way people act and speak, I think you could say this takes place at any given time. Through this, I think the film will speak to different generations of viewers that will get something completely different out of it.

Leading the film are Cooper Hoffman & David Jonsson – two young actors that I have been campaigning for to have a strong acting career, especially Jonsson. They both can act, but when you put them together, you have something unstoppable. They bring such a force to the film that makes me only hope they will be in something again going forward. For a film surrounded by grief & sorrow, they bring so much light to the film that helps bring the themes out.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I cried during a movie. I remember crying during the Six Feet Under finale. This is the first time in a long time where I cried on several occasions, which is the last thing I expected out of such a movie. The performances truly sell the emotion. Judy Greer’s small performance is minimal, yet effective. There are several other side characters that I truly connected with. Mark Hamill, to no one’s surprise, is perfect as the antagonist, who also has a small, yet indimating performance.

Bringing Francis Lawrence here as a director was a smart move as he is able to get the right performances out of everyone surrounded by similar themes. Here, this feels more realistic to today compared to the Hunger Games. There’s a lot to be said about community and accepting what we believe to be normal, even though it shouldn’t. JT Mollner’s script also manages to bring so much heart, emotion, and humor to a rather bleak film.

Most times, films will be shot out of order due to time and budget restrictions. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they shot the film chronologically for the most part. There’s no way to get around that. The way the camera is able to capture different perspectives and the landscapes helps us better understand what these characters are going through. The sound design is completely intentional as it lets the audience better understand what the characters are going through. When the score comes in, it’s a total gut punch.

There’s not much to complain about with the film other than it can get rather slow at times. It’s a film you don’t want to pick up in pacing, because you know it’s only going to get worse for the characters. I think a better & more consistent pace could have worked though. The film can be a little vague, which may underwhelm some viewers. To me, I love that because it leaves much more open to the imagination and how we can connect with it.

As much as I loved the film, this was also one of the worst screenings I have been to. People in front and behind me were talking throughout. The people in front of me were laughing during the most important scenes. I know it’s common nowadays for disruptive behavior to be like this in theaters. As much as I feel like my words won’t change how people act, I think it would be better for me to share how actions like this can hurt the theater experience. People have a lot going on. When they come to the theater, they want to turn their brains off, and respectfully not listen to others around them. Do better, see it from other perspectives, and be respectful. Simple as that.

Overall, The Long Walk was a true surprise to me. The performances, direction, script, cinematography, and score all work in tandem to deliver something emotionally profound and thematically resonant to today. This is going to be a hit in theaters, and I’m fortunate that I love movies enough to see it early. Don’t walk. Run and go see this when it comes out in theaters September 12th!

VERDICT: 4.5/5 (Amazing)