The Long Walk Review: A Contemplative, Genre-Defying Ghost Story
Mattie Do, the Laotian director who became the first and only woman director from Laos with her film Dearest Sister, returns with The Long Walk (original title Bor Mi Vanh Chark), her third film. In her latest, which was written by Christopher Larsen, Do blends genres together to craft a subtle and impactful tale about the human condition.
The Long Walk tells the story of a middle-aged Laotian farmer (Yannawoutthi Chanthalungsy) who witnessed a fatal car accident near his home in rural Laos many years ago. After losing his mother to illness, he spent many years making bad choices which resulted in him being left alone. He's left with only his regret and the spirit of the woman who died (Noutnapha Soydara) — who walks the road where she lost her life — by his side.
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Do’s film is a carefully considered drama that blends genre with an intimate exploration of the socio-economic hardships of rural Laos and the farmer's complicated past. It is not your typical ghost story as it does not engage with the terror that comes with facing a ghost. Rather, it uses the framework of a ghost story to delve into the ghosts that may lurk in one's mind. As a woman behind the camera, the expectation to deliver a great film are much higher, and Do has already solidified herself as a bold and integral creative whose vision will help create a solid foundation for Laotion cinema. With so much mounted on her shoulders, Do once again delivers a film that is teeming with her vision and ambition.
The Long Walk is a labor of love that is beautifully captured on camera by cinematographer Matthew Macar. It is deliberately paced to get the best out of the time-traveling
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