Often when thinking of Stephen King adaptations, the mind automatically goes to the sewer clown or REDRUM spelled backwards. “The Long Walk,” however, possesses no supernatural horror. It is one of two King adaptations releasing in 2025. Set in a totalitarian dystopia where cardio is man’s worst enemy, you may see why it piqued the interest of so many people.
The story takes place in a postwar society in financial ruin. Fifty teenage boys are selected by lottery to participate in an annual broadcast event called “the Long Walk,” where they must maintain a minimum pace or face execution. The one survivor is granted any wish they desire. The premise is so simple, yet the film’s execution makes it riveting.
Director and producer Francis Lawrence has hands-on experience with unembellished teenage totalitarian dystopian plots, evidenced by all but one of “The Hunger Games” films. However, “The Long Walk” is not an adrenaline-junkie film. So, to capture viewers’ attention, Lawrence had to alter his approach.
If you have seen “The Hunger Games” films, you might remember how the camera cuts to the reactions of people watching the broadcast games. For film, this is a world-building technique and also serves as a temporary relief from high-risk sequences. Similarly, the Long Walk event is broadcast to the world as a means of entertainment and to promote “work ethic.” However, viewers never see the spectators’ reactions to the prolonged deaths, sacrifices, revolts or even the heartfelt moments captured for the broadcast.
Although the choice downplays the oppressive factors of this dystopia — outside the Long Walk event — not breaking away allowed the scenes to hit that much harder emotionally. “The Long Walk” is not a generic horror film in the sense of scares because the anticipation of these characters’ inevitable deaths is never broken. The abruptness of these scenes is what causes fear to linger, gradually becoming more distressing as the walk continues.
Everything feels natural. The camera remains relatively still in medium and perspective shots because Lawrence wants you to inherit the boys’ experience, to become the invisible fifth musketeer. There are no dramatic filters added to the landscape because this dystopia is King’s vision of a very possible reality.
The performances given by this cast of relatively unknown actors — the exception being Mark Hamill, whose character might cause even the most censored people to curse, capturing the genuineness of the temporary bonds and the gut-wrenching trauma the characters repeatedly endure.
The development of naive teenagers forced to live the harsh reality of Stephen King’s vision of a police-run society shone through with each mile marked on screen.
Despite the character’s walking at a relatively fast pace, the film’s structure feels balanced. Viewers may find themselves reminiscing about their college experience.
The novel “The Long Walk” was conceived when Stephen King was a 17-year-old university student, so it makes sense that his internal debates would seep into his first dystopian creation — the first novel he wrote and the second to be published under his pseudonym Richard Bachman.
College is said to be the time when a person explores, adapts or develops the philosophies they will abide by for the remainder of their lives.
All viewers can do is listen as the young boys evaluate their ideologies and motivations for living throughout the film. One cannot simply wish for change; rather, it needs to be enacted. Even though some conversations felt like they would be a part of a TED Talk lecture, the dialogue rolled off the tongue — natural for teenage boys in a life-or-death situation.
The second purpose of this film must have been to test the viewer’s frontal lobe. Every point made by Peter McVries is worth considering; he has the makings of a best-selling inspirational quote book author.
Spoiler warning: The ending contains a twist.
As soon as McVries wished for The Long Walk to have two winners, to preserve his and Raymond Garraty’s friendship, meaning they would be the last two walking. Their character archetypes made their fates almost certain: The winner of The Long Walk is built up to be Garraty, with Peter choosing to sit down when he feels tired, as he said he would.
This is how it plays out in Stephen King’s novel. To the shock of readers and watchers, Garraty stops for McVries and is shot by the Major.
Horror films rarely get recognition at the Oscars, but the ending scene for “The Long Walk” makes the film deserving of a nomination.
There’s a close-up shot of McVries, distraught and crying out for his friend in the pouring rain, while the faceless spectators sing “America the Beautiful” and fireworks boom overhead. When the Major asks for his wish, he asks for a soldier’s carbine gun — what Garaty was going to wish for — which he proceeds to use to kill the Major with.
The ending does not reveal whether McVries’ act of vengeance brings about change. No expressions from the spectators are seen, and the soldiers do not react. McVries walks away, continuing down the road into the dim, rainy night.
The entire movie is about “moments,” and the vagueness of the ending is profound in the sense that — like the film has been building up to — ideals, experiences and society’s condition are relevant to how we approach these moments. Take the recent political assassinations, for example.
The ending does not explicitly convey that vengeance is the answer; the killing of a powerful figure may or may not enact change. It does, potentially, implying that it could. Whether that is the correct “escape hatch” is up to the audience.
“The Long Walk” is a much-needed break from the jump-scare, adrenaline-filled horror sequels that have been released lately. Lawrence takes a seemingly boring premise and makes a high-stakes film showcasing one of the most beautiful friendships of the year. This is what future films of this genre should take note of.
Reach Carlee Elders at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
