This dystopian thriller is yet another adaptation of a Stephen King novel, by JT Mollner, with Francis Lawrence on directorial duties. In a United States ruled by a totalitarian military regime, an annual lottery is held to select young men to enter a 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.
I could do a one word review of The Long Walk: bleak. That is not to say you should skip it, but I don’t think anyone could claim to purely enjoy it. The book was written in 1967 (though not published until over a decade later) so King must have had the futility of the Vietnam War, with the pointless slaughter of young American men, in mind.
The dates that the events of the film take place are not specified, though it certainly has a 60’s aesthetic. However, seeing it in 2025, the parallels with the USA now, as troops pour onto city streets and the revelation that swathes of literature do not comply with the ruling party’s view have been banned, are obvious. Not that British viewers, seemingly rushing with open arms towards a similar Farage-led regime, can sneer at Americans now!
Within the very limited structure, Mollner never allows proceedings to become boring, even if it is fairly obvious what order the participants will drop out and meet their fate. David Jonsson, who is building an impressive filmography, gives the stand out performance as Peter McVries, a young walker with a tragic back story and Cooper Hoffman is good as, Ray Garraty, the competitor he befriends. Mark Hamill seems to be having a ball as the evil Major who oversees the competition but the estimable Judy Greer has little to do other than weep as Ray’s mother.
This maybe the most nihilistic mainstream movie in recent memory and is a tough watch, but one that may live with the audience for a good while afterwards.
Rating: 7 out of 10