The Long walk: Tension, pain, humanity
The start of “The Long Walk'“.
I was completely absorbed from start to finish, and when the credits rolled I felt like I’d just watched something quietly devastating and unforgettable. ‘The Long Walk’ is a gripping, dystopian survival thriller with deeply emotional stakes. Having premiered at several major film festivals in early 2025, it immediately started generating buzz for its emotional performances and its tense, relentless pacing. It later received a wide release through Lionsgate. The movie’s runtime is just over two hours, but it moves with a rhythm that keeps you engaged the entire time. Directed by Francis Lawrence and based on Stephen King’s early novel, the film is both brutal and poetic and it haunted me long after.
In the film, 50 boys are drafted into a televised, government run walking contest in a totalitarian America. They must keep moving at three miles per hour without stopping; and if they fall below that pace three times, they’re executed. It’s a chilling setup. The stakes are as physical as they are existential not just for survival, but what it means to live under a regime that broadcasts death as entertainment.
Cooper Hoffman during an emotional scene.
Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) plays the lead, Ray Garraty (#47), and he brings a powerful vulnerability to the role. He’s determined and hopeful, yet haunted by something we gradually learn about. His performance is grounded, real, not flashy, but all the more effective for it. He walks, yes, but he’s also carrying emotional weight. In interviews, Hoffman revealed how grueling the shoot was: the cast walked “close to 400 miles in total” often in scorching heat. That physical toll pays off on screen and you can feel the exhaustion, the pain, the grit. Festivals praised him for carrying the film with a kind of vulnerability that sneaks up on you. He was one of the most talked about things about the film.
David Jonsson, who plays Peter McVries (#23), is a bright counterpart to Ray. Their camaraderie born out of shared suffering, gives the film its emotional heart. There is also Mark Hamill as the Major, the chilling authoritarian overseer. His presence is authoritative, cold, and a little terrifying.
Movies like this can easily rely on shock value alone, but ‘The Long Walk’ doesn’t fall into that trap. There is an equal balance of tension, character development, and emotional payoff. The pacing felt naturally slow where it needed to be, and intense when it mattered. The flashbacks were used sparingly and made perfect sense, adding layers to why each boy ends up on the Walk in the first place.
I went to see this with my boyfriend on a whim, and we were both glad we got to experience it in the theater. My boyfriend turned to me after it ended and said “this was unsettling but beautiful”. He found it moving and disturbing in the right ways. The film kept us both engaged from start to finish. The direction was tight, and the acting, especially from Hoffman and Jonsson, was outstanding. The festival praise was absolutely earned.
The ending wasn’t the predictable route a story like this could take and I loved that. It was bold, emotional, and leaves you thinking long after. Indie-leaning films like this often get overshadowed by bigger blockbuster releases, but this one deserves every bit of attention it got at festivals and theaters. It’s an excellent film to study and an even better one to experience.
The two stars of the film: Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson.
Step out of your comfort zone with this haunting indie thriller. It’s worth every minute.
