The Long Walk (2025) – A Horror Movie Review A Day 2025 - October 1st
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Spooky month is officially here. It’s currently 13 degrees in my house so it is definitely feeling very autumnal.. Well, except for the gloomy Welsh weather, that is. I am seriously resisting putting the heating on, right now. Anyways, it’s almost Halloween and that can mean only one thing, we are reviewing a horror movie every day of October 2025. Let’s get started with a brand new movie – The Long Walk (2025).
40+ Years in the Making
As many of you are probably already aware. The Long Walk is based on a Stephen King novel. But not just any Stephen King novel, it was the first one he ever wrote and he released it under the pen name of Richard Bachman in 1979. You might be wondering why it has taken nearly 50 years to bring this story to the big screen.
George A. Romero was considered for a directorial role for a movie version all the way back in 1988. Unfortunately, we never got the chance to feast our eyes on what the king of zombies would do with this story. Instead, it was scrapped and then spent years in movie script hell until the mid 2000s where it was considered for a low budget adaptation. Nearly two decades later, here we are.
The story takes place in a dystopian version of America that has fallen under totalitarian military rule. Every year, a group of 50 teenage boys are chosen from a collection of volunteers. These boys then take part in a contest known as “the long walk” which is supposed to inspire better work ethics in young people. They are given water and rations and compete against each other in a non-stop hike where the winner will be given a cash prize and one wish. The losers, however, will each be shot dead.
The Long Walk – Let’s Be Honest, It’s a Ridiculous Idea!
I don’t know if I am being controversial by saying this, but I felt so conflicted with this setup. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an interesting concept. The idea of a group of teens walking endlessly under the threat of execution is genuinely compelling.
The tension stays pretty high thanks to the ever looming threat of the walkers falling behind pace and eating a bullet for their troubles. There are myriad opportunities for those trademark Stephen King moments of interpersonal camaraderie. And the walk is fertile breeding ground for both comedy and conflicts between the competitors.
With all of that being said, it just feels a little bit stupid. Apparently, every teen boy in the country willingly volunteers for this walk, despite knowing full well that failure results in certain death. Even after the first walker who falls behind is killed, nobody’s motivation seems all that impacted. Everyone keeps on walking with a cheery demeanour that suggests a complete lack of awareness regarding the severity of their situation.
There’s no real comparison point in real life that can help this story make any sense. Sure, risk taking hobbies like base jumping and freeclimbing might be an apt measuring stick. But nobody goes into those things actually thinking that their death is inevitable. Those tasks are undertaken with a distinctly invincible attitude of “it might have happened to them but it won’t happen to me!“. This is more akin to willingly volunteering to work the rest of your life in a hard labour camp with a 2% change of a hefty cash prize.
Implausible but Somehow Still a Lot of Fun
The entire setup for the movie is ever so slightly implausible and I found it kinda hard to shake that feeling. Some could argue that it is similar to films like Battle Royale and The Hunger Games but the participants there were forced and not voluntary. A big part of the problem is the lack of worldbuilding. We have the vaguest idea that the people in The Long Walk are living under an oppressive regime but we really don’t know why.
Every now and then we do escape from the road for some minor exposition and flashbacks. But we are never clued in on what has taken place, how destitute the population is, and why taking part in the walk would be preferable to living poor. It’s never really exposed on later on in the movie, either. That’s why it would probably help you to take a look at our The Long Walk ending explained article. I expand on the boy’s motivations there and try to clear things up a bit.
With all of that being said, this is still a seriously enjoyable film. Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games, Constantine) takes the helm and manages to deliver something that feels distinctly Stephen King. You could slot The Long Walk right in alongside The Shawshank Redemption, It, and Stand By Me and it would feel perfectly at home.
Everything is here in spades including the enduring sense of camaraderie, the distinctly nostalgic depiction of 70s America, the likable characters, and the compelling story that almost acts as an allegory for the loss of innocence. Writer JT Mollner (Strange Darling) has really brought the characters to life with some very natural dialogue and interactions that feel extremely authentic.
Extremely Likable Characters and Some Shocking Moments
You are going to like the characters here. You are going to care about them and want them to succeed. The fact that they really can’t ends up being something of a driving force behind the tension. Most of the characters are going to die, it’s in the rules. The order in which they do and how it happens is what keeps you biting your nails in anticipation.
Obviously, there aren’t really any scares to speak of. The Long Walk relies more on the sense of horror at what is happening. There are a few scenes that will definitely make you wince, though. It’s the fact that you are rooting for the characters that makes it all the more shocking. It’s hard not to feel a bit sad when one of your favourites bites the dust.
Acting performances are solid throughout. Cooper Hoffman is effortless in his delivery and completely believable as Raymond Garraty. David Jonsson is sensational as Peter McVries. These two share a lot of the screentime together and have an undeniable chemistry. I really enjoyed Ben Wang as Hank Olsen, too.
Mark Hamill basically brings his Simpsons’ character, Leavelle, to life, hereas The Major. He is cartoonishly over the top and the second least believable part of the movie next to the plot itself. I still enjoyed his performance though and it feels fitting for the silliness of the story. It was cool to see The Clovehitch Killer’s Charlie Plummer here playing against type as Gary Barkovitch who is an absolute ass hat.
Changes From The Book
It’s clear that Lawrence and Mollner wanted to tell their own version of this story. There are a number of changes from the book, some of which are probably going to anger fans. The ending has been rewritten and some of the relationships and character backstories are different.
I think the ending is going to be the hot button topic for a lot of people. It distinctly alters the vibe of the source material and some King fans will hate that. Anyone expecting a faithful retelling is going to be sadly mistaken. There are a lot of superfluous side stories from the book that didn’t make the cut, either. Something which may leave some people wanting when it comes to context.
To be perfectly honest, that’s par-for-the-course with movie versions of King’s novels. The author’s love for ambiguity and desire to have the reader fill in the gaps doesn’t always work well when put to film. It wasn’t a big problem for me but it absolutely needs to be mentioned.
Should You Watch The Long Walk?
You should definitely watch The Long Walk. It’s one of my favourite horror movies of 2025. Sure, the plot is rather implausible and I couldn’t thoroughly buy into it. But the characters are just so likable and the walk itself so interesting that it’s impossible not to be completely engrossed. It’s tense, compelling, enjoyable, occasionally moving, and even offers a laugh or two along the way. The Long Walk is a thoroughly enjoyable thriller that is entirely worth strolling along with, even if the story sometimes struggles to keep pace.
Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight
Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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