The Long Walk

By: Paige Sanders

The Long Walk. This movie was released in theaters on September 12th, 2025. This was an adaptation of the novel, which was written by Steven King. King is famous for his disturbingly hooking pieces of literature that have ruled over the horror genre. Then, his novels took over the film world, converting many works into some of the most well-known movies, such as Carrie and It. So it was not a surprise to me when I heard The Long Walk was in the works. The director, Francis Lawrence, gave his own flair to the movie with Steven King behind him, changing some things from the original book for more accuracy. Working together helped the movie overall become so successful. So, without further ado, let’s get into a full analysis of The Long Walk. 

I walked into the theater with really high expectations for this movie since the trailer was done exceptionally well. I have to say that this movie exceeded my expectations. All great movies need a great trailer; however, a great trailer is hard to make. You have to give subtle suspense throughout it, not revealing too much, but also not leaving the audience confused. Every detail matters, from the sounds to the sequence of the clips. Overall, this trailer has been one of the most well-done ones I have seen. Then we got to the box office. The story is set in an authoritarian society where the military is in charge. Every year, a voluntary contest is hosted where you walk until you are the last one left. People are encouraged to volunteer for this due to the state that America is currently in, making it a yearly occurrence. We follow the main character, Raymond Garraty, on his journey in The Long Walk. The movie explores the themes of brotherhood and human perseverance. We see Garraty and his comrades fall into a pit of insanity as they watch the suffering around them. They cannot stop walking, and if they fall below the speed of 3 miles per hour, they receive their first of three warnings. Walking, walking, warning, walking. The cycle they are forced to endure. Reality is hit with every shot. Garraty watches his friends slowly turn to death, giving up. The movie’s pacing allows a viewer to follow along easily, with the cinematography done extraordinarily well. The movie ends with the last one standing, but I won’t spoil that for you. This is the most emotional movie I have ever seen; the characters were developed so well that you felt like you knew them, leaving you with a pit in your stomach when the third warning sounded. The ending was amazing, emphasizing the final words. Overall, this movie was a ten out of ten. I am excited to see more Steven King novel adaptations in the future.