The next comprises spoilers for The Lengthy Stroll
The Lengthy Stroll ends in a spectacularly bleak style. It additionally adjustments the ending of the story. Nevertheless, it stays true to the spirit of Stephen King’s novel of the identical title. The Lengthy Stroll focuses on a gaggle of younger males collaborating in a dystopian competitors, the place an infinite stroll is barely over when one particular person is left.
The long-awaited movie adaptation updates many parts of the story, altering sure parts whereas retaining the horror and heartbreak that made the unique so enduring. Listed here are the largest variations between the unique story and the movie’s ending, and the way they communicate to the identical thematic core.
Who Really Wins The Lengthy Stroll?
The Lengthy Stroll ends with Peter McVries successful the lethal endurance competitors, organising a unique (and darker) ending from the e book. McVries is one among The Lengthy Stroll‘s most sympathetic characters, shortly bonding with Raymond Garraty and endearing himself to the opposite rivals (and the viewers).
It is solely because of McVries that Garraty lasts so long as he does, with McVries repeatedly holding him alive regardless of the challenges of the Lengthy Stroll. This leaves the 2 of them because the final rivals, with McVries ultimately sitting down to permit himself to be killed. As an alternative, Garraty will get McVries again up after which permits himself to be killed.
It is a heartbreaking flip, giving the tearful McVries the victory. It is also seemingly the breaking second for the younger man, who had earlier within the movie preached a extra ethical and noble goal if he gained the Stroll. As an alternative, in his fury over Garraty’s demise, McVries follows by way of on his buddy’s plans and makes use of his “want” to slay the Main.
It is an particularly heartbreaking flip looking back, as McVries had established himself as one of the vital ethical of the contestants. Whilst folks dropped round him and he discovered Garraty’s comprehensible want for revenge towards the Main for killing his father, McVries tries to persuade him to do one thing good along with his victory if he wins.
As an alternative, the demise of Garraty appears to interrupt the noble spirit that had stored McVries going. This leaves him as a much more harmful determine, prepared to make use of his want to demand a gun as a substitute and use it to get revenge for all of the deaths the Main (and by extension, the system he represents) has carried out.
How The Lengthy Stroll’s Ending Compares To The Authentic E-book
The ending of The Lengthy Stroll movie is completely different from the e book that impressed it. Within the authentic story, McVries is definitely the second-to-last contestant to die. He chooses to sit down down and permit himself to be shot, one thing his film equal additionally makes an attempt however would not get to comply with by way of on due to Garraty.
This leaves Garraty and Stebbins because the final two walkers within the e book. Within the film, Stebbins is unable to proceed the stroll resulting from sickness and permits himself to be shot earlier than the ultimate stretch. In reality, Garraty initially believes Stebbins will win the Lengthy Stroll, and solely achieves victory for himself when Stebbins drops useless in horror.
That is linked to one of many largest adjustments between the film and the e book. Even past Garraty being the winner as a substitute of McVries, the e book model of the character wasn’t as obsessive about revenge as his film equal. In reality, what propels him to victory within the e book is the sight of a mysterious darkish determine, beckoning him ahead.
Within the e book, Garraty not solely wins the Lengthy Stroll, however he even ignores the Main and his potential want to proceed strolling in direction of the person. That is referenced within the film’s ending with McVries strolling into the lonely evening, nevertheless it means the ending has a unique tone from the e book, extra bleakly rewarding than existentially heartbreaking.
The True Which means Of The Lengthy Stroll’s Ending
The Lengthy Stroll is one among Stephen King’s bleakest tales — which is saying one thing, given the subject material of a lot of his different tales. What makes The Lengthy Stroll so good is the way in which it by no means forgets the humanity on the core of the story, which is essential to totally understanding the revised ending to the film model.
The Lengthy Stroll‘s huge solid isn’t dehumanized. Even those who die with no given title or clear character are handled like folks, their demises a supply of horror and heartbreak. Even in comparison with different related ideas like The Starvation Video games and Squid Recreation, The Lengthy Stroll actually focuses on the humanity of the contestants.
Every demise is heartbreaking in its personal manner, whether or not it is the horrified cries of Curley, the somber acceptance of Barkovitch, or the defiant last moments of Parker. The concentrate on the Main and the nation watching at giant solely underscores this, because the “contestants” that the group watches are scared younger males.
The unique novel, written by Stephen King when he was a younger creator, was thematically reflective of the then-current Vietnam Struggle. That high quality has developed right into a timeless aspect of the story, with the trendy model of The Lengthy Stroll hinting at an American Civil Struggle and the next authoritarian crackdown stemming from the nation’s close to collapse.
Nevertheless, the core ethical stays the identical. The final survivor is left damaged by their expertise, not solely by the bodily and psychological pressure however due to the religious toll of watching folks drop round you. The Lengthy Stroll questions if somebody’s humanity might stand up to such an onslaught, and provides a definitive reply by having McVries settle for revenge over progress.
The Lengthy Stroll
7/10
- Launch Date
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September 12, 2025
- Runtime
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108 Minutes
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Cooper Hoffman
Raymond Garraty / #47
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