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The Long Walk, written by Stephen King in his first year of university in 1967 but published in 1979, is set in a warped version of our reality where a group of contestants in some highly publicised game show have to compete to the death, all for the sake of offering some bizarre meaning to the disenfranchised masses living in the fallout of a catastrophic social collapse caused by an evil government. It is an idea that King expanded in the early 80s with The Running Man, which is also getting a film adaptation (it’s second) this year. Others, of course, have followed, with Battle Royal and The Hunger Games, but it all started here. 

This being the case it is perhaps no surprise that Hunger Games movie director Francis Lawrence is also calling the shots on this, almost like he was keen to examine the origins of the concepts he has been exploring elsewhere. The Long Walk is simpler than what has come since, with those involved in the competition simply having to walk without stopping until only one of them is left, all the others either falling fowl of their own failing bodies or the guards who shoot them in the head if they can’t keep going, and this might be why it hasn’t previously made it to the screen itself. With all that is going on in the world right now though, this was clearly considered the time to show a vision of a corrupt country manipulating its population through oppression and media controlled fear mongering dressed up as self righteous patriotism. 

Interestingly, even in this version coming to audiences in 2025, King’s tale of young men pointlessly marching to their destruction, falling out, finding camaraderie, developing death wishes, losing sight of hope and morality and being irreparably damaged even if they survive, never escapes the reading that most people have put on it since its publication. Keeping the 60s setting is no doubt a part of it but it is still hard to see this as anything but a metaphor for the Vietnam War. It doesn’t wear its allegory as heavily as movies like The Banshees of Inisherin or District 9 though and taken at face value it is a moving story of friendship and sacrifice. 

I know others have found the film incredibly tense but this was not my experience. It is clear from the start that what we are getting here is an introduction to a series of characters who we will then see die, one by one and in various different ways, as they take their journey, like it’s some kind of Final Destination Hiking Tour. You certainly don’t revel in anyone’s demise but neither are you ever shocked by it (with the possible exception of one which is made worse because of where it comes in the narrative and the association you have with character the actor is better known for). This does change toward the end a little when you are not sure which of the last two will win and take the considerable prize, and notions of predictability and expectation are played with here, but for me the strength of The Long Walk was its characterisation and relationship building. The denouement, which does not follow the book, is powerful too as the victor compromises himself because he has to make it all count for something. It feels briefly like there is some ambiguity in the very last shot but there isn’t really. 

The performances are what it hangs on and all of the young male cast are good. The most focus is placed on Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson and they are both superb. Hoffman has more subtlety to work with than he was allowed in Liquorice Pizza and he shines, showing every potential to become as revered as his father. In the end it is Jonsson’s film though. What he does here is a world away from his work in Rye Lane and the BBC’s Murder is Easy but then he has shown huge versatility before, even in a single movie in the case of Alien Romulus. 

I don’t think I loved The Long Walk as much as some; there have been some bold claims about where it sits in the hierarchy of Stephen King adaptations but for me it doesn’t compare to his other story of young guys taking a lengthy road trip on foot. It is still a great piece of cinema though. It’s tough, it’s violent and it’s quite bleak but I recommend you go on this journey with them because the rewards make it worthwhile.

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