(Emma Schaible/Fourth Estate)

Dystopian Stephen King adaptation hits all the right horrific notes

BY LOUIS VOLKER, STAFF WRITER

I was not expecting to be as impressed by “The Long Walk” as I was. Fresh off the heels of the surprisingly entertaining horror thrillride “Weapons,” Director Francis Lawrence’s new take on Stephen King’s novel is the latest winner in a recent string of strong showings from horror films.

“Weapons” thrives off its zany plot structure and Scooby-Doo-esque villain, using comedy in the ending to highlight the absurdity of violence and the effect it has on future generations. In contrast, “The Long Walk’s” strongest hook is how harrowing it is. Though it was a great film, I’m in no rush to rewatch it anytime soon because of how it uses violence as a theme.

Based on the 1979 Stephen King novel of the same name, “The Long Walk’s” political commentary is not subtle. While the novel criticizes the Vietnam war draft and its effect on young men, the film seems to make similar comments on the role of violence in both quelling and fueling rebellion. 

Using the backdrop of an authoritarian post-war America, the movie is about a dystopian lottery competition. 50 boys volunteer every year to walk continuously. They are killed off one by one for slowing down or breaking other rules [in the interest of spoilers, I won’t reveal what they are]. The last man walking is crowned the winner and given a cash prize and a wish of his choosing. 

Wary of the terrible adaptations of King’s novels that exist and the somewhat boring concept of a movie about walking, I was worried this movie would be disappointing. I was pleasantly surprised. Though Lawrence (“I Am Legend,” “Constantine”) often sacrifices pacing and overall plot for the sake of generating intense single scenes in his movies, it seems that he found the best of both worlds in “The Long Walk.” Lawrence is certainly good at utilizing the three-act film structure, and “The Long Walk’s” capitalization on this model makes for an absolutely jarring inciting incident and tension at every step. 

In a strong cast of up-and-coming stars David Jonsson (“Alien: Romulus”) and Cooper Hoffman (“Saturday Night,” “Licorice Pizza”) absolutely cement their status as future leading men of cinema. I was impressed in particular by Charlie Hummer’s supporting performance. An actor who is most often found in gentle teen dramas like “Words on Bathroom Walls” or “National Anthem,” his gritty performance of both menace and heartbreak was a surprise that carried the tone of the film.

The movie’s atmosphere and how it’s used to create meaning is certainly its strongest suit. “The Long Walk” is brutal. It’s hard to watch. The violence is realistic and jarring — the scary parts of it are not a result of jump scares or monsters, but of the blatant cruelty of humans harming each other. 

The horrific parts of the movie, including its ironic comments on spectators of “The Long Walk,” make it meaningful. It takes incredible strides critiquing violence and its effect on young people in fueling nationalism and trauma and taking away youths’ futures. Its pessimistic tone also allows ironic comments against spectators of the competition: criticizing the voyeuristic nature of watching violence for entertainment.

While “Weapons” stumbled in its attempt to use comedic absurdity to highlight the illogic of mass violence, everything that makes “The Long Walk” difficult to watch is what helps its rhetoric. This is a welcome relief as a King fan in a world of hit-or-miss adaptations. When film versions nail King’s ability to create atmosphere — even stories about killer cars or metaphysical cyborg turtles — then masterpieces like “The Shining” and “Carrie (1976)” are created. When adaptations fail to adopt a strong tone, then movies like “The Dark Tower” and “Children of the Corn” end up being so terrible, they nearly inflict physical pain on the viewer. 

Earning 4.5 out of 5 stars, “The Long Walk” was very impressive. With strong casting and characterization, it’s a harrowing horror journey that has much to say in less than two hours. It’s almost overwhelmingly violent, and I’d not only consider it important to watch, but necessary.