A trip to the pictures today to see this adaptation of Stephen King’s short story. Arriving ahead of Rdgar Wright’s new take on another tale from The Bachman Books, The Running Man (with Glen Powell), this has had much less fanfare.

I read the story nearly thirty years ago and remembered the premise, but I didn’t recall the details of the plot, so I went into this fresh and with no expectations.

What a film! This was the best experience I have had in the cinema for ages. Great characters, a brilliant script, real emotional weight, and a very real-feeling dystopia. The central relationship between Ray and Pete is phenomenal, achieving an ‘Andy and Red’ level of emotion in only an hour and 48 minutes. Great acting from these two (Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson) among others.

The premise is brilliant, the players are compelling, the action is visceral and horrific, but it must take real skill to make something like this work as a film. It’s just people walking at the end of the day. The power to film that in a way that never gets tedious is something I tip my hat to. The cinematography reminded me of David Lynch’s The Straight Story, but to make such a vast landscape seem so claustrophobic is amazing great achievement.

So, I teared up three times, and twice I went over the edge. I love a film that can do that to me, and it’s stuck with me since. I think I will have this film on my mind for a good long while, and it’s been ages since I’ve said that.

Thanks for reading. I recommend this one without reservation. 10/10