Living With B

Sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty joins ninety-nine other boys in The Long Walk, a brutal competition where slowing down means death and the only way to win is to outlast everyone else. Forced to keep a pace of four miles per hour with no outside help, the walkers push their bodies and minds to the breaking point. There’s no finish line—just one boy left standing, who earns “The Prize”: anything he wants.

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My Thoughts

I read The Long Walk in prep for the 2025 theatrical release. I’ve always loved movies based on Stephen King’s work, so when I heard this one was getting an adaptation, you know I was ready. This review will be part book, part movie, since I read it first and then watched the film.

Confession: I’ve never actually read a King novel before (I know, sue me), but this was a solid intro into his literary world. I really enjoyed both the book and the movie! The premise is haunting, though the book never really explains why the Walk exists. Many say it’s an allegory for war, and I see it. In the book, 100 boys walk until only one remains, winning “The Prize.” The movie trims it down to 50 boys (one per state), and the prize is a wish plus cash. Honestly? Cutting the number down worked as it felt more focused and easier to follow.

The movie also dives deeper into why the Walk exists and how it shapes these boys. Everyone signs up, everyone has a reason: money, desperation, or that one impossible wish. It mirrors how some people feel about military drafts: sometimes it’s not your choice, sometimes it’s the sacrifice you decide to make.

Both versions are gut-punch emotional. The dialogue hit hard, though the movie had me full-on crying. It’s devastating to watch these boys, so young, stripped of their futures. The book paints them as flawed (Ray cheating, another boy pressuring his girlfriend), which made them feel painfully human. The movie softens that, portraying them more sympathetically. Honestly? I didn’t mind. It made me connect with them more.

The film adds depth to Ray’s backstory and includes word-for-word monologues from the book (like Billy Stebbins’ heartbreaking scene about The Major). I wasn’t crazy about the flashbacks to Ray’s home life, but I get why they included them. Still, the emotional weight in the movie hit way harder than the book, especially watching Ray (Cooper Hoffman) and Pete McVries (David Jonsson) cling to each other as the Walk grinds them down. The scene with Ray’s mom? Wrecked me.

Biggest change: the ending. The book leaves us hanging, with Ray possibly walking into death or madness. The movie flips it. Instead, Pete wins, honoring Ray in the process. And honestly, I loved both. The book’s ending leaves you haunted. The movie’s ending gutted me but felt like closure, showing how deep Ray and Pete’s bond truly ran.

Final Thoughts on ‘The Long Walk‘?

Brotherhood and camaraderie shine in both. It’s brutal, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. If you love thrillers or dystopians, read the book, watch the movie, or both! The writing, casting, and execution were fantastic.

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