From the first scenes of this upcoming thriller, it’s clear audiences aren’t in for a quiet night at the cinema.
Early screenings have revealed reactions so intense that some viewers’ heart rates doubled within the opening 20 minutes - pushing into territory doctors typically reserve for extreme exercise.
Cinephiles heart rate has been tested in a special biometrics screening and the results were shocking.
Where a normal resting rate hovers around 70-80 beats per minute, some viewers were hitting 200 beats per minute in the film’s first act - levels considered hazardous outside high-intensity training.
A promotional clip of the screening likened the effect to a fighter pilot enduring nine Gs of force. Many gripped armrests for dear life, gasping, and in a few cases, reportedly sweating through and walking out of entire scenes.
Social media lit up as early attendees shared their experience. “I don’t watch movies to raise my heart rate like that. Thanks though,” one commenter joked.
Another fan admitted, “I finished reading the book last month, and I am even more pumped for this movie now more than ever!”
One said: “I just couldn’t hack it. My heart rate was going too fast and so I had to quietly walk out. I struggle with anxiety but thought , it’s just a film, but it’s terrifying and my doctor would not be pleased.’
The film, The Long Walk, is based on a 1979 Stephen King novel. Its premise is deceptively simple: a group of teenage boys participate in an annual walking contest with one deadly rule... slow down, and you’re out.
In this case, ‘out’ is frighteningly literal. Spoiler: Only one contestant walks away with the prize and their life. Director Francis Lawrence, known for I Am Legend and several Hunger Games films, helms the project.
He brings a meticulous eye for tension, ensuring each step, glance, and pause is loaded with suspense. The cast blends rising talent like Cooper Hoffman, son of Philip Seymour Hoffman, with seasoned performers including Mark Hamill and David Jonsson.
To measure the physiological impact, the studio held a special biometric screening. Monitors tracked audience heart rates, and the numbers were staggering.
Where a normal resting rate hovers around 70-80 beats per minute, some viewers were hitting 200 BPM in the film’s first act - levels considered hazardous outside high-intensity training. A promotional clip of the screening likened the effect to a fighter pilot enduring nine Gs of force.
The trailer contributed to the hype. Fans have praised its faithfulness to King’s novel, noting that key scenes were pulled almost directly from the book.
The narrative’s relentless pace, combined with the grim inevitability of the contest, seems to be doing exactly what horror and thriller films aim for: keeping viewers on edge.
While this isn’t King’s first adaptation, his stories have recently been adapted multiple times, from The Monkey to The Boogeyman - The Long Walk seems poised to stand out. Its focus on psychological tension, the looming threat of death, and the pure, unrelenting pressure of the walking contest create a uniquely visceral experience.
For audiences seeking a thriller that literally tests the limits of both body and mind, The Long Walk is shaping up to be unmissable.
Set for release next month, September 2025, the film has already sparked conversations about cinema’s ability to provoke physical and emotional reactions. Audiences can expect to leave the theatre breathless with pulses racing.
