The Long Walk novel should be impossible to adapt into a film. At its core, its about a group of young men (but really boys) walking at gunpoint until only one remains. Thats it. Okay, thats not entirely it, but its structure creates obvious challenges for a medium that implies more dynamism. And yet, it's one of the most compelling films Ive watched all year. The film adapts Stephen Kings first-written book (though not his first-published) of the same name. Both the book and film are set in a world where the United States is under totalitarian rule, poverty is rampant, free speech and thought are suppressed, and a brand of patriotism (that feels frighteningly familiar) is obligatory. It is this set of conditions that allows foror perhaps makes inevitablethe annual Long Walk to be seen as an honored tradition. The rules are simple: walk at a steady 3 mph or die. The last boy standing is rewarded with unimaginable wealth and one wish of his hearts greatest desire.On the page, with the help of internal dialogue, its spellbinding in execution (often literally). But recreating that kind of magic on screen is an entirely different beast.And yet, director Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games) and writer TJ Mollner (Strange Darling) somehow create the alchemy of heart and terror to conjure up much of that same magic on screen. They succeed in crafting a film that makes watching young men quite literally march to their doomwhile cracking jokes and eventually cracking apartsome of the most gripping storytelling youll see all year.In no small part, this comes down to the films cast. Central to the story is Raymond Garraty, aka #47. Ray is instantly likable, as played by Cooper Hoffman, who infuses the character with everyday boyish charm. Ray looks both like the boy next door and like the American cousin of Kit Connor, and much like Nick in Heartstopper, there is vulnerability and sweetness that shines through. Except that just below the surface lies a well of traumanot only the loss of his father but also the daily grinding anguish that comes with living under authoritarian rule.And hes not the only one. Ray is surrounded on the road by young menreally just barely on this side of boyhoodwho may be packing light for their journey, but are heavily weighed down by emotional baggage: poverty, guilt, mental illness, or worst of all, hope.Walking alongside Ray is Peter McVries, aka #23, played by David Jonsson. He infuses him with the kind of charisma that, in another world, would have made him a superstar or a world leader. But here, he is just a boy walking to what is most likely his death, carrying dreams of making the world a better place. To say Jonsson steals the show would do Hoffmans performance a disservice, but its clear audiences are watching the origins of a future Oscar winner. His ability to imbue characters with a sense of lived-in humanity (as he did in Alien: Romulus last year) is thrilling to see and succeeds in ratcheting up the films stakes.Along with the boys, the film boasts two more performances worth highlighting. First is Judy Greer, who stars as Rays mother. We meet her as she is saying what statistically will be the last goodbye to her only child. Most know Greer for her comedy chops, but here she has the opportunity to show off another aspect of her skills, with a heart-wrenching performance as a mother reluctantly seeing her son set off on a death march.Then there is Mark Hamill, who takes on the role of The Major. If all the other characters are grounded, Hamill is the antithesis. His high-camp mustache-twirling villainy may at first seem out of step with the gritty realism around him. But as the film marches on, it becomes clear that there is more happening here. His gun-toting machismo is a parody of the performative patriotic posturing that has become all too common in the halls of our government and across social media. It highlights how authoritarianism is both monstrous and clownishly absurd. And there is poignancy in seeing the same actor who once played Luke Skywalkerthe archetype of the rebel heroreduced to this.There is no doubt that the films greatest strength is in its characters and cast. Each boy is distinct and well-fleshed out, with motivations revealed as the miles tick by. Their humanity only makes more exquisite the pain as each ones walk comes to a bloody end. And make no mistake: this film is unflinching in its depiction of violence, as well as the horrifying breakdown of the human body when pushed beyond its limits.It has also hit theaters at the perfect time, when its themesoriginally intended by King to critique the Vietnam War, and more specifically the draftresonate differently today in the current political climate. The authoritarian government that once felt distinctly dystopian now feels frighteningly near and far less satirical.The boys marching toward inevitable gun deaths while a military leader, safely ensconced in a jeep and heavily armed, jeers and spits patriotic propagandawell, that lives in our phones and in the nations capital. The slack-faced poor, disenfranchised families watching from the sidelines as the boys march by mirror how many remain silent now, watching from the sidelines as the slow, unabated march toward fascism and authoritarian rule grinds on.And a world where freedom is a crime and independent thought means toeing the party linewell, its hard not to feel were just about there right now. That this movie is timely is not in question. That it has remained timely for 46 years speaks both to why its one of Kings greatest and why we need stories like this to shake us to our core. But, is it gay?Ok, so The Long Walk is great, but is it gay? Good news: it is. Aside from the simple joy of seeing our beloved Judy Greer on screen, there is queerness to be found throughout. For instance, the film also stars trans actor Jordan Gonzalez as Richard Harkness, aka #49, an aspiring journalist with dreams of telling the story of The Long Walk from the inside.But textually, there is one particularly poignant queer moment. While subtle, at one point, Peter casually comes out to Ray when asked about having a girlfriend. Its a quiet moment, rife with meaning for the boys. It also works in contrast to the casual homophobia hurled around by the other boys in paroxysms of performative bravado. After this, the two grow closer, creating an intimateif platonicbond. Ultimately, the film becomes a kind of love story between the two, as they march toward what can only be a tragic ending.Ultimately, The Long Walk is King at his very best: rife with characters to ache for and to despise, with shocking moments of depravity and transcendent humanity. The sacred and the profane, all wrapped up into an anti-fascist cautionary tale. Its like the feel-bad movie of the yearand thats high praise.