The book-to-film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk has been a long time coming, but with its high-stakes nature and heart-breaking character work, it’s a perfect fit for the big screen. Its debut has coincided with the release of another Stephen King book adaptation, The Life of Chuck, marking a good year for King and fans of his work (as well as Mark Hamill, who starred in both films). The Long Walk could easily have failed as a film, with its simple concept of 50 men walking until only one is left. It’s definitely a movie that could have stagnated, but it keeps hold of its audience beyond the hour mark by focusing heavily on the characters and their relationships.
These characters are fantastically backed up by the great performances of all involved, but especially the performances of Cooper Hoffman (Ray Garrity) and David Jonsson (Peter McVries). The relationship between their characters made the deaths of those surrounding them even more horrifying to witness; their reactions to the brutal nature of their slaughtering, and their brotherhood or sense of togetherness, carry the audience with them throughout the turmoil.
There is a clear queer subtext between Garrity and McVries, which is carried over from the book, where McVries states his attraction for Garrity. In the film, it is represented through their consistent togetherness and allegorical ‘brotherhood’, making the darker moments between them and the other boys even more tragic. Avoiding giving away any important spoilers, the creative decision to include some graphic and ‘make you flinch’ moments towards the beginning of the film was a fantastic way of making you realise what the characters will experience, and that they are likely going to die.
The Long Walk director Francis Lawrence became a figurehead of the teen-dystopian subgenre with his direction of The Hunger Games franchise in the 2010s, as well as its prequel released in 2023. The decision to have him direct The Long Walk made it clear what direction this adaptation would be heading in.
There are clear parallels and connections between The Long Walk and The Hunger Games, with Garrity and McVries often feeling similar to Katniss and Peeta. At one point, McVries even suggested that if he won the competition, his wish would be for there to be two winners instead of one (like how Katniss and Peeta were allowed to win The Hunger Games because of their love for one another).
Photo: IMDb
This clear return to the Hunger Games-esque narrative and characters makes The Long Walk part of a rebirth of teen-dystopia led by Lawrence himself. Alongside The Long Walk, Lawrence’s two Hunger Games prequels (the first released in 2023, and the second being released next year) are the only other significant teen dystopia films released in the 2020s.
The Young-Adult dystopian fiction boom of the 2010s included book-to-film adaptations such as the Divergent series and the Maze Runner franchise, which, despite being successful, failed to generate the worldwide popularity that The Hunger Games had managed, due to failed sequels. This put teen dystopia films on ice as the 2010s became the 2020s, but fans of the subgenre now have no reason to panic, with The Long Walk marking a clear intention from Lawrence to bring teen dystopian fiction back to the big screen.
Another article you may enjoy: https://thebadgeronline.com/2025/10/independent-cinema/
