‘The Long Walk (2025)’ – Misery at the movies

The immersion of cinema can be a double-edged sword. It can whisk us away to fantastic worlds where anything is possible, or it can present a brutal, hyper-realistic depiction of apocalyptic punishment. The Long Walk takes the latter approach. In it, the United States is a dystopia, with 50 young men from each state walking under the threat of death if they fall below three miles per hour. The last man standing wins a life-changing cash prize and a wish for whatever their heart desires.

The bleakness of The Long Walk can’t be overstated. It’s a movie about a competition, but you’ll be hard-pressed to root for any one competitor. On the contrary, even the film’s most unlikable characters manage to evoke sympathy, each showing glimpses of humanity at some point in the script. In The Long Walk, a villain who emerges at mile 15 of the journey crumbles to become a broken boy by mile 50.

By design, the main cast consists of four men who, despite their best efforts to remain distant, become companions. Much like the characters, the audience must fight their inclination to root for their camaraderie. The writing is on the wall for all but one, yet the film is so effective at developing these relationships that you can’t help but become emotionally invested.

It only makes the tragedy that follows all the more crushing. The main duo of the film are played by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. As young men preparing to face death, their dialogue is often contemplative, but their youth is enshrined in moment of juvenile humour. It fosters a deep connection between the two that’s played wonderfully by the actors. Jonsson in particular delivers a lived in performance that’s harrowing, yet an inspiring depiction of a tenacious human spirit.

The film hardly wavers from the walk itself. A handful of flashbacks last under a minute, but by and large, you’re locked into the excursion of the group. Days pass marked by miles, and the banter between boys becomes brutal as they succumb to the physical and mental toll of their trek. As the contestants fall behind one by one it’s shocking every time, yet the characters force themselves to move on.

Watching The Long Walk feels akin to scrolling through tragedies on social media, forcing yourself to look away for your own sake. With each step, the characters aren’t given time to catch their breath despite the horrors they witness or to consider their complicity. The film is incredibly effective at crafting an emotional connection, and its commitment to the physicality of the story shows as the characters’ bodies break down little by little. It’s a rough watch, and far from uplifting, but within its harsh and tragic story there is a relatability, with an ending of integrity that doesn’t undermine the film’s refreshing realism.

Rating: Big Screen Watch

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.