This was one of my most anticipated films of the year, and it not only exceeded my expectations, but has almost broken me in a way. This film will not leave my head. Everything I do, I have a lingering train of thoughts revolving around just how spectacular this movie truly was, both artistically and in the real-life connections it holds.
THE LONG WALK is a 2025 horror film directed by Francis Lawrence, with a screenplay by JT Mollner. The film takes place in a dystopian American society, where we follow the annual “Long Walk,” a contest in which 50 boys voluntarily participate to see who can walk the longest. The boys must maintain a pace of no less than 3 MPH, and the last boy walking wins a fortune and one wish. The film is based on a novel by Stephen King (the first book he wrote, though CARRIE was the first to be published).
I bought my father a copy of THE LONG WALK for Christmas in 2024. I heard a lot of praise for it online and thought the dystopian concept was something he would be interested in. He was invested until the end. He disliked the ending so much that it became a running joke in our household. Any association with THE LONG WALK always came back to how much he hated the ending. Obviously, when the film was announced, I knew we would have to see it. I will not spoil the ending of the book or the film, but it is incredibly different, and in my opinion, for the better. I am happy to announce that my father, my mother, and I all walked out of the theater with nothing but the highest praise. I cannot recommend this film enough. Especially in the current state of the world. Lawrence has created one of the most chilling and compelling dystopian films of all time. A sign that I know a movie has had a prolific impact on my psyche is when I automatically start thinking about the next time I can watch it. From the moment the credits started rolling, I knew I had to experience it again. Not because I wanted to go through the agony and despair of all the violence in the movie, but because I knew there was more I needed to uncover. Messages I need to be reminded of, and holding onto the small sliver of hope that I had when walking into the movie.
I will break down this movie by each aspect, because every element deserves its own praise. First off, the acting. What an ensemble cast, where everyone gets their moment to shine. Undeniably, this is Cooper Hoffman’s movie, who stars as Raymond Garraty (or #47). As the son of the late Phillip Seymour-Hoffman, he has inherited every ounce of his father’s talent. I find that we don’t have many protagonists anymore, at least not ones as charming as Garraty is. Hoffman brings a boyish, yearning approach to his role. He is strong and a fighter, yet does not take shame in the qualities that make him human. He cares for the other boys and is a leader amongst the group. He does not view them as competition, but recognizes they are in the same situation he’s in, and if he potentially doesn’t make it out, he’d rather spend his last moments with friends rather than foes. I would say you are rooting for him to win, but that’s not quite true when it seems every actor brings a certain charisma to their characters. Co-starring with Hoffman is David Jonsson as Peter McVries (#23). Jonsson delivers one of the strongest and most memorable performances of the year, comparable to the work Michael B. Jordan did in SINNERS. If there was one character that truly pulled at my emotions, it was McVries. He delivers many lines or monologues that have stuck with me and are one of the main reasons I want to go back. His character arc has layers that I never would’ve expected going into the film. He gives the most standout performance in the whole cast. Gut-wrenching, raw, real emotion. A masterclass in sadness, pain, and hope. Rounding out The Musketeers, we have Tut Nyuot as Arthur Baker (#6) and Ben Wang as Hank Olson (#46). One of the biggest mistakes one could make (and I’m ashamed to say, I did) is getting too attached to certain characters.
However, it is almost impossible not to form a bond when the actors deliver such emotionally charged and captivating performances. We cannot view these boys by their numbers, the way the government in the film would like us to. We must recognize them for who they are, people with personalities and unique qualities- the qualities that make us attached to them. So even though it will be emotionally harder for us, really getting to know these boys will make the experience that much more impactful. There are two primary adults featured in the film: Judy Greer as Garraty’s mother, who gives her all in her two or three scenes. Truly, she never lets any emotion go unchecked; she unleashes all her energy to ensure we cry. The other one is Mark Hamill as “The Major”, the leader of The Walk and the Antagonist of the story. It is not entirely clear what his exact role is. From my perspective, he is almost the president of the current state of America, whose duty it is to lead the walk. Hamill is cold and unfeeling, something much more terrifying than if he were full of emotion. Instead, his booming voice carries a pounding of fear and doom, the sound of a killer who hunts for sport instead of survival.
There are 46 other boys on the walk, but only about 6 or 7 that we hear from. The most notable are Charlie Plummer as Gary Barkovitch (#5), a somewhat antagonizing force to the other walkers, and Garrett Wareing as Billy Stebbins (#38), a lone wolf on the path. There is great chemistry and connection between the boys. Throughout the film, we start to realize that they are all there for the same reason, and rooting them against each other will do no good. I have not read the book, but from what my father has told me, some characters have been slightly tweaked in terms of motivations and backstories, but for the most part, they remain similar. Each walker has their good and bad moments, but the writers do such a fantastic job of making you empathize with the boys that by the end, there is no player you truly despise.
The writing provides moments of serenity within the turmoil of visual violence. The words are soft and quiet, revealing the deeper sides of the boys, particularly McVries. JT Mollner skillfully translates the brilliance of King’s plot for the screen. As I said in my opening thoughts, fans of the book will notice many differences between the two pieces. Apart from just the ending, many characters are cut, added or combined together. There are different backstories and motivations, but both the book and movie include the best choices for their respective form. I hope that the lines from this film will earn a spot in cinematic history as some of the greats. Commentary on death, friendship, human bonds, and violence is so adeptly placed, juxtaposing the moments of horror. The reason I went back to see the film a second time was not to experience the pain and agony on screen, but to really hear what the boys were saying. I think we can all remember, especially in current times, how priceless the smallest moments are. There is so much suffering in the world, but so much love and unbridled joy that goes unchecked.
One of my favorite directors, DAVID LYNCH, was known quite well for having this mantra in so many of his works. “We cannot have the light without the dark”. That is what it feels like to watch THE LONG WALK. The boys continue to grow stronger with the companions they have. They are more willing to open up, knowing what is about to come. The reason THE LONG WALK works so well is that it does not lean into one aspect, it does not glamorize the violence and brutality, but it also does not lighten the turmoil the boys are going through. It gives us hope, moments of humor, and connection, before it ultimately rips it away from us. That makes the experience all the more painful.
Francis Lawrence is the mind behind this project, and you can probably tell from his influence in the dystopian genre. Lawrence is also the director behind four out of the five HUNGER GAMES films, and I think the similarities between THE LONG WALK and BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES are what show why Lawrence is just so good at this. Lawrence takes every chance to humanize the characters, something that I think is tricky to do with dystopian pieces. Watching media like THE HUNGER GAMES, SQUID GAMES, and THE LONG WALK can sometimes make the viewer feel like we are somehow at fault for enjoying the viewing experience. Are we just like the Capital or the VIPs, sitting with popcorn and an ICEE while these children fight for their lives? Not when people like Lawrence are behind the camera. I do not think THE LONG WALK is for pure entertainment, but a commentary on the current state of the world, told through these boys. Lawrence perfects the allegory notion; these boys are not just characters who will die, but representations of something bigger. Lawrence delivers a well-rounded performance that, when combined with the writing and acting, creates the blend of light and dark I was discussing. Lawrence always knows what he wants to say; he is very intentional with the choices he wants to convey. Dystopian is starting to branch off into a genre of its own, so, just as Wes Craven dominated the horror field, I hope Francis Lawrence has many more works like these in his future.
SINNERS was probably one of the last movies where I had an audible reaction to the cinematography. THE LONG WALK had many unspoken moments that rendered me just as agonized as the deaths and dialogue did. A shot of a billboard, or an amputated boy watching from the door, a quick shot that lingered on the screen just long enough to stick with me. Jo Willems is responsible for this, and guess what else he has worked on? All the other HUNGER GAMES films with Francis Lawrence! A dynamic duo! The coloring for THE LONG WALK is bleak and desolate, mirroring the situation that the boys are in. There are not a lot, if any, moments of color that we see. The most visual is probably as night falls and the walkers are illuminated by the yellow lights of the vehicles. A stark contrast to the waning exhaustion the boys display, mixed with the harsh, blinding lights. The creative team was not afraid in the slightest to show the deaths, and while it is painfully hard to watch, it is necessary. There is nowhere for us to hide; we must view what is truly happening and the real consequences presented during the walk.
A big problem I have with some horror movies is when I feel that violence is presented simply for the sake of “shock value”. While these are two VASTLY different films, that is the reason I do not enjoy the TERRIFIER trilogy. I find that as the series progresses, the gore becomes more intense, presumably to keep the audience coming back. I think that is a shallow and disturbing way to translate horror to the screen. I find that while THE LONG WALK has many deeply brutal scenes of violence, it tells the story in a way that words or what we don’t see couldn’t. It is haunting, but let us examine why it is haunting. We are disturbed as viewers watching a fictional piece, so now imagine how the boys witnessing it firsthand must feel.
I must recognize the brilliant beauty of the score. I might be biased due to my history with the composer, but the score was perfect. Pulled off by Jeremiah Fraites, co-founder of my favorite band, THE LUMINEERS. You can tell the direct influence from THE LUMINEERS, with many orchestrations mirroring melodies you would hear on their albums. It’s delicate, yet sharp and bold when needed. It balances the action without overshadowing or leaving the softer moments of the film in too much silence. It helps to move the story along, and the dynamic movement in the music mimics the passing of time and miles on the track. Fraites also composed the music to DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, and if it is as strong as this debut was I think he might have a bright future ahead of him in the industry.
THE LONG WALK is certainly dystopian, and while there are plenty of comparisons between Lawrence’s work in THE HUNGER GAMES series, the aspects that set it apart are what made it interesting. The biggest outlier, which is even brought up in the film, is the illusion of choice. The walk is not a looming force that you have no say in; every boy submits their name in the hope that they will get picked. Some are naive enough to think they are strong, or smart enough to be guaranteed a win, and some just find it as a way out of the desolation of their current life. So is it really a choice if the boys have no other option? The system in this futuristic America sets the boys up since birth to believe that this is the way to success. They are not doing this walk for fun; they are doing it because they have been conditioned to believe it is what they must do. We do not learn a lot about the world; there is not much exposition, which I did not think was an issue. It allows you to focus on the current walk and fill in the gaps. I did not need to hear a long speech about why it started, why America is in its current state, or all the nitty-gritty details. I just wanted to hear about these fifty boys and what led them to be on this path, both literally and figuratively. It is said that the whole walk is televised, but we never see the media, except for the last scene. Another detail that I feel contributed significantly to the isolation the boys were experiencing. In some scenes, we see silent observers on the side of the road, but the boys are strictly discouraged from leaving the path, making them akin to animals in a zoo. They have no one but each other, which ties back to how meaningful it is for them to connect, rather than isolate themselves even further.
This film was released at a very interesting time. I saw this film the night after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, and it was interesting how 24 hours can completely change my perception of the film. The movie does not glamorize or shy away from violence, but neither does real life. The film comments on continuing cycles of violence and whether there are any other ways to change the system, rather than just cutting the head off. The choices the film made were interesting and have resonated differently with people since its release. Writing this review after watching it twice is equally interesting, as it seems that the plot of the movie and real life are converging more and more every day. In the movie, it does follow the storyline that books are banned and certain thoughts are restricted. You cannot speak ill of “The Major”, “The Walk”, “The system”, or the way things are run for fear of harm, punishment, or death. It is interesting how parallel the film is to the lack of the First Amendment, and the inclusion of the Second Amendment, similar to scenarios we are seeing in real life, where certain talk show hosts are being fired and torn apart for sharing their thoughts and exercising the First Amendment rights. It is not clear whether The Major has a similar status to the presidency, but what is clear is that he abuses his position and has turned the state of America into an authoritarian dictatorship. If you watch THE LONG WALK and think of how dystopian it feels, it is not as far away as you may think. The state of America in THE LONG WALK is very plausibly something that could occur in the future if we continue the way we are going. If we do not ban guns and recognize our constitutional rights before they are stripped away from us, we could very well be victims of the walk before we know it.
THE LONG WALK might not be the best film of the year, I think that title is still held by SINNERS, but I do think it is one of the most important films to be released this year. It is scary, yet it has so many meaningful moments. The direction, creative elements, and performances are all so strong on their own and come together to create a unified project that is worthy of all the praise it can get. I highly encourage everyone to see this film and reflect on what it truly says. Remember that every moment matters; it is essential to always choose love, but on the other hand, we cannot be so blind as to play into a flawed and corrupt system. It shows what it means to be human, and that those characteristics are just as important as being a fighter; however, you cannot have one without the other on the journey. I am eager to see what the future holds for Francis Lawrence and the entire cast, but I am also eager to see what real-world change this film may spark.
THE LONG WALK is now playing in theaters.
