Stephen King’s adaptations have terrified moviegoers since 1976’s Carrie. The shot of Sissy Spacek covered in blood is iconic, and for many moviegoers it was their first peek into the twisted mind of Stephen King. Almost 50 years later, King’s work is still twisted and still being adapted to frighten moviegoers.

The latest adaptation is The Long Walk, is based on King’s 1979 novel about a dystopian future’s annual contest where a group of young men walk until there is one left. The lone winner is giving riches and one wish – they can wish for whatever they want. The rules are simple…you must keep minimum pace of 3mph. If you drop below that, you get a warning. If that continues, you get a second warning. After the third warning, you get your “ticket” aka a bullet to the head. There is no finish line; the winner is whoever walks the longest.

Directed by Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay – Part 1&2), the film follows a group of 50 boys taking the long walk. The bulk of the story focuses on a group of boys that call themselves the “Four Musketeers”. The group includes Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), Peter McVries (David Jonsson), Hank (Ben Wang), and Arthur (Tut Nuyot). As the young men walk for survival, they begin to form a bond and you learn more about the world they’re living in and their reasons for signing up for the walk.

The plot, very dystopian future, and Francis Lawrence involvement give off strong Hunger Games vibes, and rightfully so. Outside of the bleak look at the country’s future, and the idea of sacrificing children for entertainment, the film takes a few other pointers from the Hunger Games franchise. Much like the Hunger Games, the beginning of the film draws you into the characters and their personalities. Peter is charming and charismatic, Ray is scared but wants to win, and Hank is the comedic relief. It feels like a cute teen movie until Curley (Roman Griffin Davis) gets a cramp in his leg. Similar to Katniss arriving on the platform in The Hunger games, the entire sequence is terrifying and reminds the audience that a lot of these characters are going to meet their demise. Roman’s facial expressions during that sequence drive home how terrified these kids are, and how ruthless and unapologetic the contest is.

Thankfully the film isn’t limited to kids walking and dying. The audience gets to watch these young men bond over a shared goal/demise. You watch them encourage, carry and uplift the people around them. That’s truly the heart of the film. The discussions the boys have around why they’re on the walk with very low odds of surviving or why the walk even exists is a much deeper discussion. Similar to The Hunger Games, the movie does a good job exploring bigger global issues that lead to the walk.  Even how some of the boys choose to end their walk is eye opening and speaks to the wider dystopian world they’re living in. JT Mollner’s adapted screenplay is saying a lot about our current politics and where we might be headed without saying it.

Even with the bleak subject matter, The Long Walk is bursting with energy because of Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson’s electric performances. They brought their A-game in every frame of this film, especially the emotional beats in the third act. In less than two hours, audiences fill fall in love with these characters, be heartbroken, and be sad, all while knowing there can be only one survivor.

The Long Walk is one of Stephen King’s best adaptations. The film is surprisingly emotional and heartwarming. The brutality of the walk is feels even more brutal because of the blossoming friendship the film shows. There is hope that this decades old story is rings the alarm about where we’re headed. The future depicted in the film feels a lot more plausible today than it did in 1979.

Grade: B+