In 1979, he became a writer under the pen name Richard Bachman. stephen king published long marchA paperback novel set in a dystopian America ruled by a military dictatorship. In this connection, 100 teenagers selected by lottery will participate in the walk, which will only end if one of them remains.
Watched by soldiers and forced to walk at a minimum speed of 8.5 miles per hour without permission to rest, the young men fight to survive and win the prize of getting what they desire most. his victory is glorious;The aforementioned competition also strengthens systems that exalt values such as ambition, competitiveness, or misconceptions about work ethics.
After George A. Romero (dark half, creepshow) and Frank Darabont (fog, green mile, perpetual chain, woman in the room) Francis Lawrence (i am a legend) directed this adaptation, signed by JT Molnar. slight changeespecially the last part.
The main characters remain, from protagonist Ray Galaty (Cooper Hoffman), whose father resisted falling under the yoke of the new regime, to key allies in the macabre marathon, including the strong and driven Peter McFries (David Johnson) and the talkative Hank Olson (Ben Wang). Of course, there’s also the Major (Mark Hamill), a character with no development whatsoever. It is presented to us as the epitome of state power.
The rules of the game imposed by the King are also respected. If participants walk below the speed indicated by the electronic controls, they are warned that they can cancel if they maintain the set pace for one hour. If you receive three warnings, you will be given a passport.
Contestants can request a water bottle whenever they want and will be given their daily ration each morning. Applicants may not disturb or interfere with the remaining contestants (but may assist contestants). Maintaining contact with spectators along the course is prohibited. They cannot leave the set circuit. If you break the rules, you will receive a warning. Third: Passport.
Dr. King’s novel was written while he was in college, but it wasn’t published more than a decade later. Echoes of the Vietnam War – young people sent to certain meaningless deaths – but also young people who appear in novels such as: 1984 By George Orwell – The Major as a Human Transcription of Big Brother – or a story like this lottery By Shirley Jackson – Chance as a disguise for applying control mechanisms and is associated with the dreaded social conformism.
So what’s wrong with this lame version? long march?Now, when the script starts its first turn, The plot becomes monotonous and the political reading becomes superficial. Besides the latest information, especially related to racial issues, included in the last section. Nor does it delve into the parallels that could be established between the totalitarian United States and the Trump era.
The scenery is embellished, the predictability diminishes the relationships between the characters, and even the traces of death that litter the story lack originality. The formal abandon with which Lawrence depicts this fateful station of the cross doesn’t help either, with only three monotonous camera shots. trip Follow up – it Not handling the source material correctly Its influence lay in its ability to grasp the signs of the times.
long march
address: Francis Lawrence.
script: JT Molnar, from the novel by Stephen King.
Performers: Cooper Hoffman, David Johnson, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Charlie Plummer, Roman Griffin Davis, Garrett Waring.
year: 2025.
Premiere release: November 14th.