Based on the novel by Stephen King, director Francis Lawrence delivers a breathtaking masterpiece with The Long Walk. In thisfilm, survival and sacrificing everything has depth and meaning in every step of the way. Even though some may find the subject matter disturbing, the displays of connection and keeping those close just to survive is powerful. This is a poetic and moving thriller where emotions tackle each other. Cooper Hoffman is unbelievably good, and Mark Hamill is ferocious. The Long Walk is a ride filled with deaths, curiosities, and questions about what’s been accomplished upon reaching the end.

Hoffmann plays Raymond Garraty. Hamill plays The Major, the commander of this long, treacherous, and unexplainable walk. Raymond meets some friends along the way. The ones he holds close to him are Hank Olson (played by Ben Wang) and Peter McVries (David Jonsson). Some of the others on the walk are questionable characters, but that is something audiences will have to see for themselves. Going forward, Raymond has a mission. He wants to do this walk because he feels the politics in his life have impacted his family, and if he wins, he can change it all. However, as the days go by, more people on the walk die. Raymond and Peter begin to grow a closer bond of brotherhood. Every time someone stops along the walk, they are given three warnings, and if they do not continue, they are shot and eliminated.

The film is mesmerizing because it tests the waters of friendship and tolerance as it builds in intensity. A great deal of focus is on Raymond and Peter who keep at it while trying to help maintain each other’s momentum. Each time someone falls and fails in the race, my jaw dropped and my heart began to race. I felt the pain and the agony, and at the same time, I kept saying in my head, “Keep going!” That is what The Long Walk is all about. Resilience is the spirit throughout the entirety of this treacherous walk.

Despite the harsh subject matter, the encouragement to persist is intense. The film’s dazzling writing takes viewers into uncharted territory. Not only is there an award if the race is won, but walkers build connections which turn into a lasting brotherhood. The performances of Hoffmann and Jonnson, who are blood brothers, make The Long Walk heartbreaking and unforgettable. When one falls, they both will because sticking together goes a long way in The Long Walk. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.