Review of the movie The Long Walk

“The Long Walk” appears to be an exciting psychological thriller, but in fact, it should be considered an allegory of politics, society and human nature; A film that focuses on the violence hidden in totalitarian political systems. You can read the review of the movie “The Long Walk” in this article.

Warning! There is a risk of revealing the story in the review of the movie “Long Walk”.

The adventures take place in the near future in America; A country that no longer has a sign of its past glory and has collapsed under the burden of economic crises and authoritarian policies. To control people and divert public opinion, the government has designed a race that is supposed to be a so-called “symbol of hope”: a death walk. Fifty young people are participating in this competition representing their state. The rule is simple: you must always walk at a speed of at least three miles per hour and never leave the road. Three warnings equals death. There is no finish line and the walk will continue until there is only one person left.

The main character of the story is Raymond Gerety (Cooper Hoffman), a damaged young man who does not care about the grand prize of the race; A person whose father was murdered in front of his eyes and hopes that now he can take revenge in some way. Of course, he gradually realizes what a big mistake he made, but there is no other way, in this game of death, regret is useless. Gertie befriends a number of contestants along the way, including Pete (David Johnson), Arthur Baker (Tat Newt) and Hank Olsen (Ben Wang). This friendship is, of course, more than anything else, a survival mechanism, a defense mechanism against the cruelty of competition. They laugh together, argue and try to have fun but gradually remember more and more of the predicament they are in. Opposite them, we have the Major (Mark Hamill), who is responsible for organizing and supervising – and supposedly motivating the participants. What makes the major scary is his indifference to human suffering; There is no emotion in him, he is a robot who uses the law to control.

Francis Lawrence makes some smart choices in The Long Walk. Except for one or two short scenes, it avoids flashbacks, never goes to the sidelines and does not use unnecessary dramatic twists. His film doesn’t let you rest for a moment, just like the participants. The movie is constantly moving and watching these tired and bored young people walk will bother you. We feel the psychological and physical pressures on the characters and every time we hope for something to happen, the film reminds us that in this dystopian world, hope has no meaning and miracles are not going to happen.

The film also has several trump cards, among which we reach Cooper Hoffman and David Johnson. Hoffman gives a very controlled performance as Gertie. Gertie seems determined at first, but gradually turns into a person who has lost his motivation and reached the point of emptiness. Hoffman shows Gerty’s sufferings completely internalized and allows the silence and continuity of movement to become the expression of emotions. But David Johnson is more brilliant, his calmness is one of the few encouraging elements of the film, an element that finally succumbs to blackness.

This movie didn’t need a unique villain; Here is the main villain of the system. However, Mark Hamill, with the character of the Major, completely revives the feeling of hatred in us. His acting lacks overt violence, conveying a kind of systematic dread through his voice control, looks, and apparent calmness. Lawrence uses a similar logic in the display of violence. The deaths are not exaggerated, not in slow motion, but happening quickly, not even allowing us a chance to mourn. One by one, people fall to the ground and others continue on their way.

Of course, there are criticisms of “Long Walk”. In the final parts, it becomes somewhat predictable and lacks the charm of the first half. At the same time, the monotonous rhythm of the work may be boring for a part of the audience (exceptionally, this is the goal here). Also, a few minor characters that were carefully introduced at the beginning, due to the film’s conscious focus on Gertie and Pete, are left out of the spotlight sooner than necessary. The ending of the film is also devoid of any sense of redemption or liberation.

What makes The Long Walk so effective, however, is its direct and unsettling connection to the present. Stephen King wrote the original novel in the late 70s and it is sad that after a few decades, the theme of his story has not only become outdated, but even the dystopian dimensions of his story have become closer to reality. Systematic violence and economic collapse are clearly present in the social structure of the world today. The film also refers to the normalization of violence, an idea that Michael Haneke also addressed in “Foolish Games” (1997).

“The Long Walk” is not a pleasant cinematic experience. It is a film that wants to challenge us and make us think. Every moment of it is carefully designed to convey the feeling of fatigue, repetition and erosion; But under these bitter layers, a kind of humanism is hidden, which takes the work beyond the depiction and narration of a purely tragic story. The film is as much about violence and death as it is about human will, meaning and fragility. Among the multitude of anti-utopian films that often drown in symbolism or visual effects, The Long Walk stands out for its simplicity and direct focus on the human experience.

The feeling that will be strong in you after watching the movie is emptiness; And this means that the creators have reached their goal. Instead of providing relief, Lawrence forces us to face the reality of this world; A world where there are no heroes, and dreams are faded, the only wish is to survive and carry on. “The Long Walk” doesn’t want us to be entertained, it wants us to feel and think about pain.

The open ending of the film is obviously disturbing. We do not get a clear answer; It only raises more questions. But let’s be optimistic. Pete is probably killed. But maybe he shot the major before his death and maybe this is the beginning of a big change, an unexpected revolution.

Birth certificate of the movie “The Long Walk” (The Long Walk)

Director: Francis Lawrence
Author: JT Molner
Cast: Cooper Hoffman, David Johnson, Gareth Wareing, Charlie Plummer, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill
Product: 2025, USA
IMDb rating for the movie: 7.1 out of 10
Movie rating on Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Synopsis: In the near future, America is ruled by a dictatorial system. To control people and divert public opinion, they have designed a race that is supposed to be a so-called “symbol of hope”: a deadly walk. Fifty young people are participating in this competition representing their state. The rule is simple: you must always walk at a speed of at least three miles per hour and never leave the road. Three warnings equals death. There is no finish line and the walk will continue until there is only one person left.

The review of the movie “Long Walk” is the author’s personal opinion and is not necessarily the position of Digikala Mag.

Source: Digikala Mag