Overview

• The film opens in Germany on September 11 as critics describe an austere adaptation focused on conversation over spectacle.
• Set in a fascistic America, the contest forces walkers to keep pace or face execution after warnings, with survival decided by being the last one left.
• Cooper Hoffman stars as Ray Garraty opposite David Jonsson as Peter McVries, with reviewers highlighting their evolving bond; Mark Hamill portrays the Major.
• Coverage notes significant changes from the book, including a reduced field of 50 participants, a minimal spectator presence, and a lower required pace.
• Reviewers describe a bleak, dialogue-heavy style punctuated by explicit violence, positioning the film closer to allegory than action.