The Long Walk – Review and Summary
Between themes of brotherhood, how much people would accept in an American dystopia, and more, The Long Walk is a reminder of how great Stephen King’s work can be for source material.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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“The Long Walk” Film Details
- Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 48 Minutes
- Released On: In Theaters
- Public Release Date: September 11, 2025
- Director(s): Francis Lawrence
- Writer(s): JT Millner
- Based On Work By: Stephen King
- Primary Language: English
- Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Horror, Young Adult
- Rating: Rated R
- Distributor: Lionsgate
- Official Site Link
Movie Summary
It isn’t 100% clear what happened in America, but it fell from grace. It isn’t #1 economically, its position as a world power seems questionable, but to rally the country, so came “The Long Walk.” It is supposed to inspire the country to be more productive, like the young men (no women) who walk for days on end, all with the promise of a wish and riches.
In this iteration, we watch a young man named Ray (Cooper Hoffman), alongside his friend, Peter (David Jonsson), bond with others, each other, and make a 300+ mile journey throughout a rural part of America on camera. Leaving you to wonder, of the 50 young men who applied and were selected, often by lottery, which one will be the last standing and who will end up with their blood on the road and, for many, a bullet in their head courtesy of The Major (Mark Hamill).
Review and Commentary
Highlight(s)
Pete [88/100]
David Jonsson, as Peter McVries, #23, at the very least, deserves to have his name in major accolade conversation come the end of the year, up through the spring. There is nothing big or boastful about his role as Peter, but something about it does feel transformative. I would even say, as much as Stephen King’s name is associated with horror, because of creating characters like Pennywise, the story for Carrie, among a huge slew of others, through Jonsson’s performance, there is a reminder that what is also associated with King’s name is movies that deliver notable performances.
Whether it is Kathy Bates in her Oscar-winning Misery, Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, or even performances like Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, many have adapted King’s work and propelled actors to new heights. I would submit David Jonsson as the next actor who could credit being in a Stephen King adaptation as a major highlight in his career.
Speaking about the character, he is treated as the light, the silver lining, during the roughly 331-mile walk the cast goes through. He is the one, more so than the lead Ray, who gets you invested in certain characters, reacting to them, and playing the kind of supporting character whose performance is so strong that, at times, you forget he isn’t the lead.
And while many have moments that can seem like they are for the camera or to get a reaction, Jonsson never falls into that. There is a genuine connection built between his character, Peter, and Ray. The formation of what he calls the Musketeers preps your mind for the emotional hurt you know is inevitable, and while Peter’s backstory, admittedly, may lack oomph, Jonsson doesn’t let that hold Peter back. If anything, it makes you love him for who he is now, not because of a sob story.
Every Death Hurts More Than The Last [85/100]
One of the big things The Long Walk pushes is the sense of brotherhood, and honestly, this saves it immensely. As noted below, the film doesn’t necessarily care for exposition in the form of meaningful world-building or character-building.
Only with Ray do we get flashbacks and what could feel like focused and detailed explanations regarding his motive, what he is going to wish for, and things like that. Most others either give you matter-of-fact answers, like they want the money which comes from winning, or give answers regarding their background, which doesn’t stir much in you; it just answers the question.
But this is why Peter becomes so important. He makes these young men, who could easily just be seen as a number between 1 and 50, into people. By creating a brotherhood between himself, Ray, Arthur (Tut Nyuot) and Hank (Ben Wang), he puts the spotlight on them, he helps make their existence matter, and even for those he isn’t fond of, like Gary (Charlie Plummer), by making him into an antagonist, you are pushed to wonder what he could do and how he could factor into things.
Yet, despite whether you love or hate any character, it can be difficult to get used to them being killed off. This especially becomes true as the movie comes to the end, for even if you are hedging your bets or are rooting for one person, it doesn’t make losing this person or that one any easier. You have built a bond vicariously, enjoy what they bring to the film, and to watch them decide to stop walking, face the host of this twisted game, The Major, or intentionally get themselves shot, it is jarring. It’ll make you jump or twitch like this is a horror movie, and for some, it might bring a tear to your eye.
On The Fence
Generally Speaking, Don’t Expect Much In The Way Of Background Information [74/100]
The major issue when it comes to The Long Walk is the same one you’ll get whenever it comes to any book-to-movie adaptation: It cuts the fat. For The Long Walk, as noted, the fat that is cut is that you don’t really get to know much of the characters in the film beyond maybe what they would do if they win, and some hint at their background, but never enough to fully satisfy.
Speaking as someone who loves world-building and strong supporting characters, I must admit I was often frustrated by not getting a full grasp on what happened in America to lead to “The Long Walk” becoming a thing. Never mind the random rules, of which some seemed more flexible than others, and taking note that this all was filmed for television or streaming, there was this need to ask, “What do they allow to be seen and what may they cut?”
There are just so many questions that feel unanswered or sped through to keep the pace (no pun intended) that while, yes, there is a book that can likely answer many questions, the lack of guarantee that the book may have the information you crave only creates more frustration.
Overall
Our Rating (82/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)
The Long Walk does not feel like something that releases in theaters, has its moment, then just ends up content for people to watch to justify keeping a streaming service. I won’t call it a classic, but there is something about the sense of brotherhood Peter creates, despite living in a dystopian America, and how he brings a diverse group of young men together and provides hope, which seems apt for the times we are in.
Which does lead into why we wish how the world and people were developed was done differently, but I also recognize that part of the point might be that you shouldn’t need someone’s life story to see their value, to bond, and feel invested in them. Sometimes, just being human and sharing that experience should be all you need.
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