Saagar Kote
Based on the eponymous novel by Stephen King, ‘The Long Walk’ deals with a scenario wherein contestants participate in a game where they have to keep walking at a certain speed or beyond, failing which they will be executed by the forces led by a man known only as The Major (Mark Hamill). Directed by Francis Lawrence, the survival horror film is set in a dystopian US ruled by a totalitarian regime, which adds to the threats already faced by the contestants in the walking game. The narrative navigates ideas of survival, fear, loyalty, and freedom poignantly, while also featuring intense sequences of chaos and mayhem. If the visuals, plot, themes, and characters of the movie entertained you, these films, similar to ‘The Long Walk,’ will intrigue you.
12. Exam (2009)
Co-written and directed by Stuart Hazeldine, ‘Exam’ deals with the lives of eight candidates who appear for an exam that will facilitate their selection for a corporate job. They are asked by a man known only as The Invigilator (Colin Salmon) to follow rules that include them not communicating with him. However, chaos ensues when they realize that the question papers they received are empty, and giving an answer is not as easy as they thought it would be.
In the British psychological thriller film, the candidates realize that they must push their psychological limits to survive their confusing ordeal, which might even lead to violence. Akin to ‘The Long Walk,’ it deals with psychological games, survival, and mystery. Characters in both stories end up in puzzling scenarios where they have to go beyond their abilities to gain freedom. The communication between characters engaged in the same situation also adds to the narratives.
11. The Thinning (2016)
In YouTube Red’s ‘The Thinning,’ two students named Blake Redding (Logan Paul) and Laina Michaels (Peyton List), as well as others, are candidates appearing for an exam in a dystopian society. However, due to the issue of overpopulation in the world, those who fail the test will be executed. When the protagonists discover that there are hidden agendas behind the examination, they attempt to challenge those in power. Directed by Michael J. Gallagher, the science-fiction thriller film deals with themes of morality and power in ways similar to ‘The Long Walk,’ while also featuring characters who undergo similar survival challenges.
10. Would You Rather (2012)
‘Would You Rather’ chronicles the experiences of a young woman called Iris (Brittany Snow), who agrees to participate in a game hosted by a rich man named Shepard Lambrick (Jeffrey Combs) at his mansion. She does so in order to raise money and help her brother, who is diagnosed with a serious medical condition. When the protagonist and other participants converge at the host’s residence, they realize that they signed up for a game that is far more dangerous than they assumed. Directed by David Guy Levy, the psychological horror thriller film delves into the ideas of survival and morality. On the lines of ‘The Long Walk,’ it puts the characters in deadly situations where their physical and mental limits are tested by someone with far more power.
9. As the Gods Will (2014)
Based on the eponymous manga series written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Akeji Fujimura, ‘As the Gods Will’ or ‘Kamisama no iu tôri’ deals with the life of Shun Takahata (Sota Fukushi), a young high school student who is dragged into a dangerous situation against his will, wherein he must win games staged like children’s games in order to live. Without any clues about the reasons behind his situation, he is forced to survive through brutal acts that test his morality. The contestants become part of a larger scheme that has social ramifications in the Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Takashi Miike. Akin to ‘The Long Walk,’ it features elements of survival, violence, control, and domination. Characters in both stories participate in games and try to win tasks, failing which will lead to their deaths.
8. Death Race (2008)
Inspired by the short story ‘The Racer’ by Ib Melchior and based on the film ‘Death Race 2000’ directed by Paul Bartel, ‘Death Race’ follows the life of a man named Jensen Ames (Jason Statham), who is apprehended and jailed in Terminal Island Penitentiary for killing his wife. He is then given a choice by Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen) to participate in a car race where the drivers must kill each other in order to win and survive. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the dystopian action thriller film, resembling the world of ‘The Long Walk,’ features characters who take part in a game of survival that requires them to go beyond their physical and physiological capacities. Both stories are visually connected due to their dystopian settings, which add depth to the narratives.
7. Circle (2015)
‘Circle’ is a tale of survival wherein fifty strangers are held captive and are forced to decide who gets to be the last person standing. Without any memory of how they ended up in the ordeal, the unwilling contestants must delve deep into their survival skills and morality to decide their fates. Directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione, the science fiction psychological thriller film deals with the difficulties faced by the Tattooed Man (Cesar Garcia) and the other participants as they face difficult choices that will decide who lives and who dies. Despite the tonal and visual differences, the film shares a spiritual connection with ‘The Long Walk’ due to the elements of survival and morality that test the characters in a dystopian setting.
6. The Belko Experiment (2016)
Directed by Greg McLean, ‘The Belko Experiment’ navigates the lives of two American employees of Belko Industries named Mike Milch (John Gallagher Jr.) and Barry Norris (Tony Goldwyn). They are locked in with other Americans in their Bogotá corporate office in Colombia and are all commanded by a mysterious voice through the intercom, instructing them to take part in a life-or-death game. The consequences are dangerous as failure to win games will result in their death. The psychological game challenges their morality in twisted ways in the action horror film, which connects it to the world of ‘The Long Walk,’ and its characters. The idea of survival and commentary on human morality are important aspects of both stories.
5. The Maze Runner (2014)
Based on the eponymous novel by James Dashner, ‘The Maze Runner’ depicts the life of Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), who finds himself trapped in a place called “The Glade,” where he cannot remember his past or how he got there. The self-sufficient place, populated by individuals with similar experiences, becomes the setting for a deadly game wherein the residents must try to escape before death comes for them. However, they soon realize that they might all be part of a grander scheme controlled by external forces. Directed by Wes Ball, the science fiction thriller film resembles ‘The Long Walk’ due to its dystopian setting. The survival choices faced by the characters in both stories connect them thematically, while they also have similar questions on morality and authority.
4. The Condemned (2007)
Directed by Scott Wiper, ‘The Condemned’ chronicles the experiences of a man named Jack Conrad (Steve Austin), who is on death row. He is mysteriously saved from being executed by a rich TV producer who intends to use his talents and physical strength for something more sinister. Soon, the protagonist finds himself trapped on an island where he must use his brutality in a violent game of survival by killing others like him who have been transported to the island. In the action thriller film, the contestants realize that they must turn to their violent instincts to make it out of the ordeal alive. On the lines of ‘The Long Walk,’ it deals with a group of characters who are tasked with achieving something that looks impossible. The power imbalance between the participants in the games and those controlling them is important in both stories.
3. The Running Man (1987)
Loosely based on the eponymous novel by Stephen King, ‘The Running Man’ tells the story of Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who is a police officer convicted for a crime he did not commit. Faced with difficulties, he gets a chance to achieve liberation when he is forced to participate in a televised game where he, along with others in similar situations, must battle against dangerous individuals to survive. Set in a dystopian US, the action film directed by Paul Michael Glaser delves into the theme of survival and redemption, which connects it to the world of ‘The Long Walk’ and its characters, who face similar ordeals that deal with life and death intricately.
2. Battle Royale (2000)
‘Battle Royale’ or ‘Batoru Rowaiaru’ deals with a scenario wherein forty-two students are transferred to an isolated island by a totalitarian regime to participate in a brutal game of survival, where they must either die or kill to live. The fates of Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara), Noriko Nakagawa (Aki Maeda), and other students hang in the balance, as they must make morally difficult decisions and also choose between staying and fleeing the island in the Japanese dystopian action film. Based on the eponymous (Japanese title) novel by Koushun Takami, the Kinji Fukasaku directorial delves into the ideas of morality and survival in ways that are similar to ‘The Long Walk.’ Both films are set in dystopian realities where state and military might have reached excessive levels, which challenge the characters on a greater level.
1. The Hunger Games (2012)
Based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins, ‘The Hunger Games’ is set in a dystopian world named Panem, ruled by the Capitol. The nucleus of the story lies in the organization of the “Hunger Games,” in which two individuals from each of the twelve districts are ordered to take part in a televised life-or-death game where they fight to the death. The protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), in order to save her sister from danger, volunteers to be a contestant in the game, from which point she tries to survive in a brutal world that wants to see her life risked for the sake of entertainment.
In this journey, she is accompanied by the other representative of her district, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Directed by Gary Ross, the survival action drama film resembles the world of ‘The Long Walk’ due to its portrayal of dystopian scenarios and the excessive power held by regimes. Characters in both films deal with moral dilemmas that test their ability to survive the dangerous situation. The visual elements of the stories also connect them spiritually.
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