The Long Walk directed by Francis Lawrence was one of the best movies I’ve seen since Sinners in April 2025. This post-American war, dystopian adaption of the Stephen King novel published in 1979, is very fitting for the times Americans are currently living in. It shows the price of war and the effects on people who are tired of the system that neglects them and their families. It has themes of desperation, pain, family, friendship and the future— that not only can make you laugh and smile, but also cry. This movie is a harsh reality check that is upfront and at times gory. It brings a sense of reality and relatability to our political and cultural climate presently, and begs the question, “is this a possibility due to the current state of America?”
The movie begins and ends with the theme of family, with one of the main characters Raymond Garraty, also known as #47, played by Cooper Hoffman, being dropped off by his mom to compete in The Long Walk. The Long Walk essentially is a way to keep power and control in the United States post-war, but in a simpler sense, it’s a race with no finish line. 50 men from each state are called to represent their home and walk for as long as possible. They are given small rations of food and a water canteen that can be refilled whenever they request. They have three warnings if they stop walking for any reason, whether it’s using the bathroom, or they break their ankle, or they attempt to run away. After the third warning, they are shot and killed. The boys must maintain a walking speed of three miles per hour and are given watches that track their time, speed, and heart rate at all times. Finally, there is no finish line, the last man standing wins. While the race itself is brutal, inhumane, and gruesome, the winner gets a large amount of money and gets any wish they want granted, with a few exceptions to keep control.
I had initially thought that this film really wouldn’t focus on friendship as all participants in the walk are given numbers to dehumanize them, and it’s every man for himself since there is only one winner. However, you see a true bond between a group of characters, but specifically between Garraty (#47) and Peter McVries (#23) played by David Jonsson. The bond between them is so beautiful and wholesome that I found myself forgetting that there is only one winner or that I can’t root for them both. I set myself up for failure by convincing myself that there was a small chance where I’d be happy about the ending.
This movie is really acting acrobatics, as every character has a distinct quality that makes me eager to hear more about them. You care about background characters, you have sympathy for the mean characters, etc. This film had a productive way to make you bend your morals and to hope for an alternate reality regarding the characters. Specifically Jonsson’s performance—an outstanding depiction of love, life, perspective, and what it means to be a good friend and person. His performance makes you laugh, cry, flinch, scream and leaves you with a weight on your chest. While being an adaptation from acclaimed writer King’s novel, this movie stands on its own while staying true to the story and essence of the book. This was honestly one of the best Stephen King and book adaptions, in general, that I’ve ever seen. Don’t wait to see it on streaming platforms, experience the shock and reactions of your peers in person at a theater. This is a story I recommend to everyone.