The first reactions are in for Francis Lawrence’s “The Long Walk,” and they’re strong — “critics” are calling it a brutal, riveting Stephen King adaptation that could even spark Oscar talk for its young cast. I'll believe it when I see it.
As always with these first-wave social media reactions, a grain of salt is required. Early screenings are curated affairs, inviting the same circle of voices who reliably, and positively, post their instant takes on X. The wider pool of critics won’t weigh in until the official reviews drop a week or two later.
Then again, test screenings for this one went over extremely well earlier in the year. JT Mollner, fresh off the indie buzz of last year’s “Strange Darling,” also penned the screenplay for “The Long Walk.” He’s a king supefan, knows the material inside and out.
Based on King’s 1979 novel, the first he ever wrote, though it was later published under the Richard Bachman pseudonym, “The Long Walk” follows 50 teenage boys forced into a state-run endurance march where anyone who drops below 3 mph is executed on the spot. They walk until only one remains.
Cooper Hoffman (”Licorice Pizza”) and David Jonsson (”Alien: Romulus”) lead the cast as two of the Walkers, with Mark Hamill playing the officer overseeing the contest.
As a quick refresher, I went back through Lawrence’s filmography and was reminded that he’s quietly built a solid, if unspectacular, studio career over the past 18 years. “Constantine,” “I Am Legend,” “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Red Sparrow” — all respectable efforts. Hardly masterpieces, but he’s proven himself a steady hand, and there are plenty of far weaker directors working at the major studio level.
“The Long Walk,” which has been in development hell for decades, will finally be released in theaters on September 12 via Lionsgate.
