| The Long Walk | |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 12, 2025 |
| Director(s) | Francis Lawrence |
| Screenwriter(s) | J.T. Mollner |
| Cast | David Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, Garret Wareing, Mark Hamill |
| Content Rating | R |
| Runtime | 1 hr 48 min |
| Distributor / Production | Lionsgate Film |
This is walk or die.
Peter “Pete” McVries (David Jonsson), The Long Walk (2025)
That’s the simple premise of The Long Walk. In a little more detail, following an unnamed war, the United States of America has fallen into economic ruin and become a fascist state. Under this fascist regime, they have enacted a yearly program called “The Long Walk”, wherein fifty young men from across the country come together to walk until only one is left as a form of bread and circuses to keep the population entertained and in line. The rules are simple: keep your speed at three miles per hour or above, fall below that speed and you get a warning, get three warnings and you get shot. The last man standing receives a financial reward and one wish.
Directed by producer Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend, The Hunger Games franchise) and written by JT Molner (Strange Darling), the film is adapted from executive producer Stephen King’s book of the same name, under his Richard Bachman pseudonym. The film stars Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza, Saturday Night), David Jonsson (Industry, Rye Lane, Alien: Romulus), Mark Hamill (Star Wars, The Flash, Batman: The Animated Series, Metalocalypse, Regular Show, Child’s Play remake, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Life of Chuck), Ben Wang (Sex Appeal, American Born Chinese, Karate Kid: Legends), and more.
David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman
Hoffman and Jonsson portray the two leads, Raymond “Ray” Garratty and Peter “Pete” McVries, respectively. Quite frankly, this film would not work without them. A vast majority of the film involves these two characters talking and walking with each other. In the hands of other actors, this easily could be a disaster. Thankfully, Hoffman and Jonsson individually have great screen presence. And when you put them together, it’s just electric. Both play off each other so well, and the relationship between the two is believable and tangible. At times, the script can be a little too pointed, but these two make it all work. Hopefully, Jonsson and Hoffman manage to have long careers in Hollywood because it would be a waste not to utilize them more.
As for the other actors in the film, none of them are bad; it’s just hard to stand out against Hoffman and Jonsson. The other big-name actor here is Hamill. This is the actor’s second King adaptation this year and his second-best performance in them. As the Major, Hamill is not bad, but does feel very much like a caricature. To some degree, that’s the point. He is intended as a stand-in for any general fascist government. Therefore, at times, the actor’s performance comes across as uninspired or weak. Yet, all in all, it functions for what the film is getting at.
Another highlight of the film is Wang as Henry “Hank” Olson. He’s hilarious and heartbreaking, and the audience feels for him instantly. He’s a delight to watch, and hopefully, another young actor from this cast to go on to do big things.
The Fight against Fascism
The Long Walk is a microcosm of life under fascism. Every aspect of your life is under moderation, and if you fail to meet the rules, however unjust and immoral they may be, then you get punished. And there is no room for nuance here, either. Fail to keep up for any reason, even if you have a good excuse or extenuating circumstances, and the State will enact its will upon you.
Conversely, The Long Walk also offers ways to fight against this fascism. First, by sticking together. The Major expects the Walk to divide the contestants against themselves, while under the guise of unity. Instead, the characters use these circumstances to band together and find strength in each other and themselves, not the State. Second, the film advocates for hope. Under fascism, the state expects you to despair, to give in. On the contrary, as McVries talks about constantly, we must choose love and hope even in the most dire of circumstances. Yet, hope and community are not enough. In its final moments, The Long Walk shows us that, truly, the only way to fight against fascism is through action. That is, action spurred by hope and community, action to protect the ones we love against evil.
The Long Walk as an Adaptation
As an adaptation of the novel, The Long Walk is fairly faithful. It makes a few big changes, though some are less impactful than others. For instance, the film reduces the number of contestants from one hundred to fifty. This helps streamline the narrative and keep things moving along. It’s not a huge change, but one that makes sense when you only have two hours to tell a story and not four hundred pages. And all the characters get along much better in the film than in the book. There’s a lot less antagonism and resentment among the characters, too.
The film also gives Garraty a much clearer motivation and backstory. In the novel, his father is brought in for questioning and then never returns, instead of being executed in front of him. It’s a change that is more cinematic, but one that maybe lessens the impact of how a fascist government operates. In the novel, Garraty is uncertain why he joined the Walk till the very end of it. Even then, he’s still not entirely sure.
Of course, the largest change is the film’s ending. Instead of Garraty winning but continuing to walk because he’s lost his mind, McVries wins and kills the Major. The change mostly works since it turns the narrative into a clear anti-fascist piece instead of a character study. At the same time, the way it unfolds in the film is somewhat weak. Again, without Jonsson and Hoffman at the helm, it would not work. Overall, the film is far less cynical and nihilistic than the book—a change some readers may find a little off-putting. With that said, since fascism is here already, it makes sense for the film to offer some hope instead of letting misery consume the viewer.
Additional Thoughts on The Long Walk
The score by music composer Jeremiah Fraites largely works. At times, it can feel a bit too big and overwhelming. It’s a little too saccharine in some scenes, but generally, it works to help enhance the emotion on screen. Another issue is the film’s pacing. At just under two hours, the film really moves. This is somewhat to its benefit, but overall, it leaves viewers wanting a little more. More time spent with the characters and developing them would be nice. Then again, also spending too much longer in that world could be soul-crushing.
Lawrence and cinematographer Jo Willems do a remarkable job of making the film look beautiful and keeping the viewer engaged, given that ninety percent of the film is just watching people walk and talk. Between the close-ups and the wide angles, there is always something going on in the frame and plenty of depth to it. This is quite the achievement, as it would be easy to shoot this film flat and boring.
The Verdict on The Long Walk
The Long Walk may not be a perfect adaptation of the King novel, but it offers a compelling new take on the material and one more suited for our times. It is filled with emotion and hope that even in the darkest of times, there is a light and a way forward.
Score: 4/5
The Long Walk is now playing in theaters!
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For a wider context, we suggest reading Stephen King/ Richard Bachman’s novel, The Long Walk. You can pick up a physical copy via our Amazon Affiliates link!
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