By Shyann Morrow, Contributor

[Lionsgate; 2025]

Rating: 9/10

Brutal, upsetting and heartachingly familiar, The Long Walk depicts a dystopian America in which 50 young men are selected via lottery to compete in the annual Long Walk. The walkers must keep a pace of 3 mph, earning three warnings if they drop below pace before they “buy their ticket.”

Walk or die, that’s the game, only it’s entirely too late by the time these men learn that it was never a game at all and there will be only one survivor.

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The Long Walk, directed by Francis Lawrence, is adapted from a novel of the same name by Stephen King; although, fans hoping for an entirely faithful adaptation will be left sorely disappointed. However, a large portion of the dialogue in the film is lifted directly from the novel. It reads incredibly well and manages to maintain much of the character dynamics that are present in the book. The film’s use of dialogue is excellently expositional and gives viewers a clear indication of the world that these characters live in, as well as the primary sociocultural issues that they suffer from in a highly militaristic, censored society.

As a book adaptation, the changes made to the film serve an important role in creating a more compelling story by eliminating much of the unnecessary sexism in the book while still portraying this society as patriarchal.

The relationships between the characters were displayed perfectly and each of the actors did a truly phenomenal job at portraying their characters. However, Mark Hamill’s portrayal of The Major left something to be desired as his character came off as almost cartoonish.

Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson in particular gave beautiful performances as Ray Garraty and Peter McVries respectively. Each effectively illustrated the effects of growing up in a financially ruined society which preys upon its most vulnerable: a society which forces its people into complicity. Ben Wang’s and Tut Nyuot’s portrayals of Hank Olson and Arthur Baker were also phenomenal and emotionally driven, aptly capable of bringing audiences to tears. 

The film does exactly what it set out to do by confronting audiences with a disturbingly familiar projection of the downfalls of our own society on the characters who suffer and die as a consequence. It’s nauseating, bleak and all too real.

Considering the majority of the film is the characters walking in mostly isolated areas, The Long Walk excellently ensnares audiences’ attention through character interactions and the sheer brutality the film depicts. It does not shy away from the dark, depraved and even disgusting details of what the walkers go through.

Certain character backgrounds in the film are a little too convenient and obvious as they attempt to tie into the development that each character goes through and ends up feeling slightly inorganic. Despite this, the development that is shown in the film feels natural in a way that is both heartbreaking and touching.

Credit is due to everyone who worked on this film; The Long Walk is by far one of the best Stephen King adaptations to come out in years. From the actors performances, to the writing, to the deliberate imagery, the film is well-rounded, tearjerking and an absolute must-watch.