THE LONG WALK is a 2025 psychological horror thriller film directed by Frances Lawrence (The Hunger Games films), from a screenplay by JT Mollner, based on the 1979 novel of the same name by Stephen King. It is accomplished author Stephen King’s first-written novel, published under his pseudonym Richard Bachman.
In a dystopian United States ruled by a totalitarian regime, a group of young men enter an annual walking contest in which they must maintain a speed of at least three miles per hour or risk execution. The contest ends when only one walker remains alive.
The cast includes Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick, Josh Hamilton, with Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill.
THE LONG WALK made its debut in theaters September 12th, courtesy of Lionsgate.
It has been proven time and time again that if a Stephen King book is getting made into a movie, it is probably worth seeing. King is an exceptionally talented storyteller who is best known for his work in the horror genre, but he does like to mix it up. THE LONG WALK is the most recent adaptation of his work, and as per usual the team behind the project had a ton to work with. I honestly loved this film and I thought that it was one of the more unique film adaptations just because it did feel very different.
To me THE LONG WALK felt very similar to The Hunger Games in terms of the overall story, so it makes sense that the man behind the camera for that franchise, Francis Lawrence, also stepped in to direct this film. Lawrence is a great director and he really knows how to appeal to audiences with sympathetic characters and a powerful message. This film is very intense and I actually found myself cringing at times which is rare for me.
THE LONG WALK is an annual competition that puts individuals from each state against each other in what is essentially a walk to the death. The grueling walk is broadcast live on television as it is said to give hope to a country that has found itself struggling financially. The sole survivor is awarded with a significant amount of money and one wish. The film works incredibly well as it is able to develop several characters who are competing in the walk, making it so when someone is eliminated the audience feels that loss. I thought the film did an amazing job focusing on the humanity of such a dark time as the contestants rallied together to support each other while knowing that only one of them would make it out alive. I liked learning of the backstories of each character, and even though you may like some characters more than others, each character will have a profound impact on you which makes the lasting impression of THE LONG WALK that much more meaningful.
I thought the cast in this film was on another level, which impressed me considering the majority of the actors are fairly unknown. Veteran actor Mark Hamill is fantastic as the films primary antagonist known only as “The Major”. Cooper Hoffman, the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, was incredible. Hoffman plays one of the more pivotal roles in the film, and he was just so damn good. Hoffman stars alongside David Jonsson who was amazing as well.
The two actors displayed amazing on-screen chemistry, and their performances were a big reason for why the film works so well. I just hope they get the recognition they deserve and this leads to more opportunities for them going forward in their careers. The supporting cast was great as well, with several actors turning in impressive performances including Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Judy Greer, and Joshua Odjick. Many of these names I heard for this first time while writing this review, but man were they good.
From a technical perspective THE LONG WALK was fantastic. The film does such a great job having an intimate feel which allows these characters to seem fully alive on-screen. I was locked in from the opening sequence and the film just had this feel like if you look away even for a second you might miss something. And even though the actual walk was said to be broadcast live all over the country, the film never showed that aspect which helped to make it feel that much more raw and intimate. The camera work was amazing, and some of the more graphic sequences were just hard to watch which speaks to how effective the film is at creating this feeling of desperation.
THE VERDICT
A chilling and brutally violent psychological horror thriller film from The Hunger Games director Frances Lawrence, THE LONG WALK puts viewers on the edge of their seats with yet another top-tier Stephen King adaptation. This film hits hard with its ability to develop some great characters that audiences will genuinely care about thanks to a stellar cast, and the overall message of the film will linger well after leaving the theater.
TED TAKES RATING - 8.4/10
THE LONG WALK is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.