Since the dawn of cinema, filmmakers have been adapting pre-existing popular and acclaimed stories to the silver screen. Whether it’s a book, a play, or a short story, it’s been happening for a while. However, in recent years, there’s been a noticeable trend of increased adaptations and decreased original stories in major studio releases. So, when this year’s The Long Walk, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name and directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), came out, some were skeptical. Especially with some other recent, not-so-good Stephen King adaptations, uncertainty was probably warranted. Is it really all that bad, though? Or could The Long Walk be a sign of better things to come?

In the film, a second civil war has completely changed life in the US. There’s a major economic depression and the country is ruled by a totalitarian regime. Nearly two decades after said war, we follow a group of 50 young men who have signed up and been selected to participate in The Long Walk, a yearly contest that forces them to walk for hundreds of miles uninterrupted, maintaining a minimum speed of three miles per hour. If they stop or slow down more than three times, they’re executed by always-nearby soldiers. The Long Walk has no time limit or finish line. It ends only when one survivor remains, who then receives a life-changing cash prize and a wish of their choosing.

JT Mollner, who did good–if not fairly misogynistic–work on 2023’s Strange Darling, wrote the adapted screenplay for this film. Obviously, aside from the important developments of who lives and dies, this movie is not entirely driven by the plot. As the walk goes on, the young men talk to each other and form connections and friendships, which are really the heart of this movie. The dialogue feels real, sometimes funny and sometimes devastating, and is only elevated by the striking violence seen throughout the film. The genuine portrayals of these connections make all of the emotional moments really effective, so much so that I will admit that I shed a tear (or two).

Speaking of genuine portrayals, all of the performances in this movie are fantastic, especially those of the competitors themselves. Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, and Charlie Plummer are all great in supporting roles. The real core of the movie, though, is the relationship between competitors Ray and Peter, played by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson respectively. Cooper Hoffman, son of late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, gives a solid lead performance, proving that he’s a good actor on his own, separate from his father’s legacy. However, the real star in my eyes is David Jonsson, whose work I’ve been following since 2023’s Rye Lane, a severely underseen rom-com. Jonsson’s nuanced performance on its own, along with his palpable chemistry with Hoffman, are what make this movie as special as it is. Mark Hamill is good enough but not exactly outstanding as The Major, the leader of America’s totalitarian military regime.

I’d recommend this movie to fans of dystopian and/or character-driven films who can handle a decent amount of violence. It was fantastic, especially when compared to the overwhelming number of “just fine” movies that have come out this year. I’d give The Long Walk an 8/10, with special thanks to all of the young actors who made this movie as great as it is.