The most cinematic writer of all time may be Stephen King.  Certainly a larger percentage of his books and stories have been filmed than anyone else of which I can think (except perhaps Jane Austen, but she only wrote six novels!).  Along comes another King story, a dystopian torture saga involving teens, one which predates the “Hunger Games” and “Maze Runner” sagas of recent vintage.  Is it a good idea to film such a dark, depressing story?

Francis Lawrence’s film finds fifty teens chosen from a national lottery to walk until all but one of them dies.  The winner will be made rich and granted a “wish.”  Various characters get to know each other fairly well as they walk, and one by one, they fall behind to be killed.  The core half dozen are Ray (Cooper Hoffman), Pete (David Johnson), Stebbins (Garrett Wareing), Art (Tut Nyuot), Gary (Charlie Plummer) and Hank (Ben Wang).  They make it more than three hundred miles without stopping at a pace of three miles an hour or better.  But eventually it comes down to two; who will it be?

Putting teens in peril is a concept with which I have never been comfortable; it bothered me in the other referenced sagas and it bothers me here.  Especially as each poor kid who gets tired is put down with a bullet to the head from an uncaring Major (Mark Hamill) and his staff.  But that’s the story, and I have to give the writers and cast credit for making this painful trek worth watching and appreciating.  I don’t think I would want to get to know my adversaries if I were Walking — and a few of them feel the same way — but these guys really get to know each other and even help each other as the miles drone by.  The humanity shown by the lot of them reverses much of the dystopian, depressing feel of the event and is occasionally captivating.  I really did not expect to get to know and appreciate these guys, but the movie exists precisely for that purpose.

I didn’t care for all the cursing, which is prevalent and inescapable, but I suppose such language is part and parcel of the oppression they are forced to endure.  And the violence, when it occurs, is brutal.  But it’s expected; it’s part of the regime and the milieu; it isn’t excessive.  The emotions these young men feel are vividly expressed and quite convincing.  What remains underdeveloped is the importance of this Walk to the country; it is supposedly televised but we only see a camera once or twice and rarely obtain a sense of anything or anyone outside the event itself.  A bit more of an overview might have helped put things in better perspective.  What’s here, however, is pretty powerful, even if it is difficult to watch or enjoy.  ☆ ☆ 1/2.  4 February 2026.