the long walk

An important introduction

The Long Walk is a movie based on a book by Stephen King, one of the most renowned horror authors of his time. It's among his earliest works, possibly even his first. The movie strays a bit from the novel, not in a way that distorts it, but it doesn't add much to the story either.

The film's trailers were definitely appealing, but after watching it, I found nothing that truly motivated me to see it, except that it's a story by a famous horror author.

There's no real suspense or true horror. The concept of dying on a path chosen in pursuit of wealth, as a way to escape the harsh reality of poverty, is very cliché, offering nothing fresh or unusual. However, the film does have some positive aspects, which we'll talk about later.

I was struck by the similarity between The Hunger Games and our film The Long Walk, except the latter has some differences: the competition is optional rather than mandatory, and its purpose is to gain wealth instead of simply avoiding death.

The film centers on a group of young characters and examines their conversations, revealing many facets of their motivations and lives During the competition.

philosophical perspective

The film *The Long Walk* incorporates a philosophical dimension as it depicts a devastating economic crisis sweeping through America caused by one of their wars. People live in extreme austerity due to resource depletion, which leads young individuals to voluntarily participate in a competition in search of enormous wealth that could lift them out of the hardships of famine and poverty.

Certainly, this offers a powerful insight from the writer into the devastating effect of wars on nations, highlighting that young people, being the most connected to life, are pushed to compete in a situation that promises wealth on one hand and death on the other—a stark reality similar to the harsh and inevitably deadly conditions they already face.

The film also highlights the humanity of these young people, showing their consideration for each other and their mutual support, which brings them closer together and fosters friendship. Although the competition awards only one winner, this does not diminish their humanity toward one another, which is genuinely a positive aspect.

The leader's character in the film represents a symbol of ruthless authority, seemingly motivating them to win but secretly threatening swift death for anyone who fails, is late, or disobeys the competition's rules. This highlights something extremely dangerous: there is no room for the weak or the sick in society, and everyone must put in maximum effort, even if they have fewer abilities than others.

The film's ending, featuring the hero's final sacrifice for his friend and the attempt to swap roles in sacrifice, felt somewhat exaggerated. It simply added a touch of dramatic flair that didn't improve the original story, which didn't have the same ending.

Only the empty, dark, and endless road in the final scene, along with the fulfillment of the friend's wish after his sacrifice—or even revenge for his murder—symbolizes that nothing has changed in the bitter reality. In my opinion, it was a scene that presented only a philosophical perspective and lacked any real excitement.

The truth is that forming real friendships is unmatched by money because money can only buy lies in relationships.

It wasn't strong enough

This is my modest opinion of the film. It wasn't truly impactful enough, nor did it adequately depict the real horrors that follow war, nor did it provide a powerful, inspiring ending. The gory scenes were also unsettling, failing to evoke heartbreak or sympathy.

Furthermore, The Long Walk was filled with excessive dialogue that lacked impactful scenes and strong emotional impact. It simply needed to be polished and more focused than it appeared.

The acting, directing, and cinematography were also lackluster and never stood out. In my humble opinion, a stronger narrative approach was necessary, even if it meant changing many parts of the story.