The Long Walk

MovieGuys 9/20/2025 9:22:02PM 8.4

Take a road, a few military props and a small group of young actors and you have the essentials of "The Long Walk". This is story is, in essence, a condensed metaphor, for walking the passage of life, its hopes, its dreams, nightmares and what life truly means to each of us, when its about to end. This is, in its own way, also a harsh repudiation of state sanctioned violence. Where the young are brutally sacrificed, by the old, in the pursuit of power and control. In spite of the fact this film is derived from Stephen Kings work, an author I have mixed feelings about, Id characterize it as an "instant classic". Thirty years from now this will be as refresh, remarkable, moving and memorable as it was in 2025. Why? Putting aside the more than excellent, intelligently written script, what makes this essentially very simple film shine is polished, quality acting. A rare thing these days, where candy coated CGI and "doing stuff" has taken the place of thoughtful, insightful cinema. The acting from the whole cast is credit worthy but the leads Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, offer up performances that are stark, honestly human, in short, exceptional. In summary, I can't comprehend the negative reviews of this film. Its one of the best I've seen not only this year but in a very long time. A truly compelling watch.

CinemaSerf 9/19/2025 1:54:22PM 8.4

Initially, I though this had something of the “Hunger Games” to it, as a group of fifty young men assemble at a military roadblock. It appears they have each won a lottery and a prize of untold riches awaits the winner of a walking competition. The rules are simple. Keep above 3 m.p.h. and don’t stop. “Ray” (Cooper Hoffman) pays an emotion farewell to his mum and joins a group of lads that includes “Pete” (David Jonsson); the somewhat odious “Barkovitch” (Charlie Plummer), talkative “Olson” (Ben Wang) and the lithe and fit looking “Stebbins” (Garrett Wareing) and “Art” (Tut Nyuot). A rousing speech from the “Major” (Mark Hamill) explains the rules to them, and makes clear that it will quite literally be the last man standing who wins. Quickly, “Ray” and “Pete” bond and as they set off, we discover more about what makes these two men tick, interspersed with some lively contributions from their fellow walkers who manage to engage, irritate, offend and motivate as the miles accrue and the numbers dwindle. This takes a fairly intense look at the processes of male bonding and both Hoffman and Jonsson deliver powerfully compelling performances as both characters come to terms with an unpleasant inevitability as hunger and sleep deprivation take their toll. Both Wang and Plummer also deliver unexpectedly charismatic efforts here: a far cry from anything I’ve seen either do before, and though he’s not on screen often, Hamill also manages to exude a degree of malevolent megalomania as this effort to reenergise the not so industrious youth of America travels the country. I felt that it built well to a poignant denouement, but at the moment of truth it rather lost it’s potency and I think it caved in a bit. Still, there is an intensity, a warmth and some vulnerability on show here as both physical and mental endurance are tested to the limits whilst wrapped in a coat of guilt, ambition and increasing inter-reliance. It’s not an easy watch, but as a (less brutal) allegory for so much of modern day, dog-eat-dog life, it works really quite powerfully.

ergenekon 2/14/2026 4:49:27PM 8.4

Has "the hunger games" vibe with less detail on world fiction, and does not intend to explain it neither. A 6/10 movie with good sub-message.