From Frank Darabont’s emotional The Green Mile to the Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall classic The Shining, audiences have enjoyed many amazing Stephen King book adaptations on the big screen for decades. The legendary author hasn’t loved them all — looking at you, The Shining — but that doesn’t change how much impact they’ve had on millions of viewers.
If early reviews are right, one of the best King adaptations is about to hit theaters, as Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk receives outstanding critical praise after early previews on Wednesday, September 3.
These reviews are so strong that The Long Walk has earned an almost perfect 94% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. Compared to other big King adaptations, this is 10% higher than the famous horror The Shining and a massive 15% higher than The Green Mile, plus 5% higher than 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption and 2% higher than Stand by Me.
The Long Walk arrives in theaters on September 12 and, before its release, here’s the official synopsis:
A group of teenage boys compete in an annual contest known as “The Long Walk,” where they must maintain a certain walking speed or get shot. The Long Walk‘s steadfast focus on the lives and emotions of the walkers themselves is an exceptional choice, allowing the film to be tense, moving, and complex, it’s one of the best horror movies of the year, leaving an impact that will last long after the credits roll. Between that [the characters] and an extraordinary cast delivering exceptional performances, The Long Walk exceeds even optimistic expectations to easily become one of the best Stephen King adaptations.
Ewing wrote, adding, He later said
The Long Walk debuts in theaters on September 12.
Source: Collider