The Long Walk
2025
**½
Director: Frances Lawrence
Cast: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Jordan Gonzalez
In a brutal annual Long Walk contest, one teenage boy from each state is forced to walk at a steady pace without stopping until only one remains; those who stop or collapse are shot. Although this horror thriller is an adaptation of Stephen King's 1979 novel, it essentially tells another Hunger Games-style story, making it Francis Lawrence's fifth in that vein. His work is at its best when the boys share their hopes and dreams, and we see the camaraderie and friendship developing between them. World-building here is minimal, nearly as minimal as the preparation undertaken by many of the contestants. However, my main issue with the film is that it is dull, overlong, and visually exhausting. The ending really left a bad taste in my mouth.
