On Screen: “The Long Walk”
The Long Walk
With uneasiness and uncertainty dominating the news, it’s not surprising that the latest Stephen King adaptation — “The Long Walk” — tanked at the box-office. Instead of angst and agony, audiences are looking for optimism and an emotional escape from adversity.
Published in 1979 by King when he was just 19 years old, using the pseudonym Richard Bachman, it’s is a dystopian survival thriller, set in an alternative 20th century after a second Civil War has devastated the United States, leaving a poverty-stricken populace vulnerable to full-scale fascism under military rule.
The brutal premise is deceptively simple: 50 young men — one from each state — are chosen by lottery to participate in an annual contest that involves continuous walking at no less than three miles an hour. If someone fails to maintain that pace, he is shot in the head.
If he stops or slows down, perhaps to sleep or relieve himself, he is given a warning; three warnings result in immediate execution. The last ambulatory man is rewarded with a financial windfall and the granting of a single wish.
Adapted by JT Mollner and directed on a $20 million budget by Francis Lawrence, who helmed four films in “The Hunger Games” franchise, it’s not as compelling as it should be, despite the visual efforts of cinematographer Jo Willems.
Overseen by the ruthless Major (Mark Hamill), there’s Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), the only participant shown in flashback with his distraught mother (Judy Greer) and defiant father (Josh Hamilton).
Ray immediately bonds with genial Pete McVries (David Jonsson). There’s scrappy Hank (Ben Wang), religious Arthur (Tut Nyuot), angry Barkovitch (Charlie Plummer), unsociable Stebbins (Garrett Wareing), and underage Curly (Roman Griffin Davis) — stereotypical characters trudging through the gloomy flatlands to their grim fate.
Hollywood’s obsession with Stephen King stories can be traced back to “Carrie” (1976) and include “Stand By Me,” “Pet Sematary,” “Misery,” “The Shining,” “It,” “The Green Mile” and the upcoming “The Running Man.”
FYI: Rumor has it that Lionsgate held a special screening in which the invited audience was required to walk on treadmills at the regulation three MPH for the duration of the film or risk being ejected.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Long Walk” is a depressing, fatigued 5, playing in theaters.
Susan Granger is a product of Hollywood. Her natural father, S. Sylvan Simon, was a director and producer at M.G.M. and Columbia Pictures. Her adoptive father, Armand Deutsch, produced movies at M.G.M.
As a child, Susan appeared in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Margaret O’Brien, and Lassie. She attended Mills College in California, studying journalism with Pierre Salinger, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in journalism.