The Long Walk, 2025 - ★★★★½

Bleak and brutal as hell.

I truly appreciate the simplicity of the concept, which also delivers a complex and nuanced story focusing on life, survival, and human perspectives on living and dying.

The Long Walk is the kind of movie that allows us, the viewers, to think and feel alongside the characters. It never lets us look away from the harsh realities they face, both physical and mental challenges we could never have imagined until forced to confront them in the film.

It’s emotionally powerful, capturing not only the despair these characters endure but also the hope, kindness, and meaningful aspects of humanity that shine through even in the darkest, most hopeless moments. Every moment feels significant and deeply moving.

Knowing that the story is an allegory for the Vietnam War highlights how young men were sent to die (unknowingly) for an unjust cause, adding an even more meaningful perspective to the film.

The story portrays the difficulty of maintaining humanity within cruel, violent circumstances. It shows how the system not only fails these frightened young men—trapped by a broken society and a rigged structure—but also brutally breaks them down until no shred of humanity remains.

The story shed lights on the challenge of preserving humanity in a cruel, violent system. Yet, it’s in the darkest nights that even the tiniest star can shine, almost blinding us with its brightness, just as the smallest acts of kindness and camaraderie feel like revelations during the darkest days of their lives.

This movie reflects on life and how we choose to live. We all must die; it’s only a matter of when. Each of us holds different perspectives on life, the will to live, and the reasons that keep us going. Ultimately, we must each answer this question for ourselves: How can we make this fleeting life worth living and keep on walking?

Overall, I love this film and highly recommend it. The only part I’m not sure about is the ending. While I understand the decision thematically, I still feel the character wouldn’t have made that choice, especially after hearing the final words. Nevertheless, the exceptional performance of the cast more than makes up for this and other minor flaws. I have a strong feeling that most of them will achieve great success in their careers in the future.