A tragic tale of friendship.
Set in a dystopian future, The Long Walk is a contest where 50 young men volunteer for the chance to win riches and a wish. The participants have to maintain a speed above 3mph, and if they don’t, they get a warning. After 3 warnings, they get their ticket. This is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, and I’ve seen many people excited for this adaptation. This is my first experience with the story, but I think the concept is very interesting, and I was curious about how it plays out.
Over the course of the film, we get to know a few of the guys and learn their backstories and motivations for being there. It really makes you root for them all when you know that there can only be 1 winner. Our protagonist, Ray Garraty, makes friends with a few of the guys, but one in particular, Pete McVries, ends up becoming a close friend to him throughout the journey. Their friendship allows them to overcome obstacles, and as the story goes on, it allows them to open up. It’s really their story.
The film is constantly moving as we follow these guys on their walk, so setting-wise, it’s mostly green fields, some small towns, and a few interesting things they notice along the side of the road as they walk by. The interesting thing is how it affects their walk. We watch them go through rain, tough terrain, hills, and night. Yeah, they have to walk day in, day out, no breaks. So it’s interesting to see how they are able to persevere through these rough conditions.
Overall, I think this is a great film. I don’t know if it’s going to end up on your personal top 10 this year, but it had some interesting messages and themes that I think I’m going to remember for years to come. If you want to see more, check out the trailer below!
-Jared Gomes
