The Maze Runner

19 October 2014. The Maze Runner combines The Hunger Games (2012), Cube (1997), with Lord of the Flies (1990) into a rather fascinating mystery thriller for boys. For most of the movie, the consistency of theme and plot holds up well. The tension, the ever presence ominous sounds of the maze offers up a dread that is pervasively creepy. The stereotypical characters aren't usually overplayed and the over the top performances or plot points are mostly held back using instead more empathetic and humanistic portrayals.

The ending seems like a cop out for a hoped for sequel unfortunately. And there a few moments that really do fall back into the stereotypical plot design. The humor however makes their appearances with to great effect though. This is more enjoyable movie than expected. It just misses out though being really innovative and can't quite break out of the mold of most of the other sci fi thrillers.

My immediate thought while watching The Maze Runner was just how close the whole premise was to Vincent Natali's sci-fi horror Cube (1997), both films featuring a group of people who wake to find themselves in a strange environment with no memory of how they got there. The big difference is that, where Cube was a brilliantly executed low-budget thriller with nail-biting tension and a thought provoking ambiguous climax, The Maze Runner is a mega-budget blockbuster that, for much of its running time, moves like molasses, and which ends leaving questions that we know will be answered, just so long as we shell out more cash to see the next couple of instalments.

Obviously, at 47 I'm not exactly in the intended demographic for this film, but I do feel that this one missed the opportunity to be a hugely entertaining adventure for all ages. When the characters are in the maze, running for their lives from the grievers (metallic insectoid monsters), or dodging the changing architecture, the film is actually very enjoyable, but far too much time is spent in the relative safety of 'the glade', the idyllic green area at the centre of the maze where the boys first wake up. With my son currently reading the series of books, it's almost certain that I'll have to watch the sequels; I just hope that they make it a little more exciting next time around (and don't cut the film to reduce the UK rating to a 12 certificate. Grrrrrr!).

5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

The film The Maze Runner is based off the three book series written by author James Dashner.

As post-apocalyptic films adapted from YA novels go, and there have been many, The Maze Runner might be the most successful of the 2014 year.

The film opens on a young teen, seemingly kidnapped against his will and unclear of what he is doing. His body, limp on the floor of a openly woven caged box, rises up to the sun and grass where he promptly meets a crowd of his peers, all male. Talking with them he discovers he is exactly like them, unknowingly in this location, his memory erased with only his name available to him, it is Thomas.

He soon discovers the grassy area's perimeter is completely encapsulated by steeply high concrete walls, beyond which is a maze. The goal is to figure out the maze as it is the only way to freedom.

The Maze Runner uses young up-and-comer actors and actresses rather than the obvious and nepotistic decision. Dylan O'Brien does a superb job as the newbie Thomas and Aml Ameen is especially captivating as the leader of the stranded survivors Alby. The primarily British young actors also do a splendid job of masking their native accents for a neutrally American vocal pattern.

Further, Wes Ball's direction of The Maze Runner has a clear vision as it emulates a vastly PG-er Lord of the Flies vibe. The beauty of the film is its simplicity. Since the children and teens are locked in an experimental cage, there is no need for monotonous information delivery regarding the futuristic world. There's no futuristic dialect, class system, government changes or anything of the type.

what can i say. i LOVED this film.

yeah sure, it has a *few* weak points and maybe a plot hole or two. And the acting is barebones, these are kids, not Cyrano De Bergerac or Mephistofele, but boy the film is well done.

I mistakenly googled the film's name before it was over, and disappointed myself to learn that it's just the first of three parts, so it means waiting another 2-3 years for the other two films, but that means also that i have something to look forward to.

Now, i normally like more "profound" films, but for once, i really enjoyed this sci-fi romp and no, it's nothing like Twilight. A couple of the characters (Gally, Chuck) are phoned in, but then again, how would you write this kind of plot without these characters getting thrown in?

So the film is a very pleasant, well paced, well directed, reasonably well acted, decently scored, great .. well, nice CGI, entertaining film that will please just about every audience there is, without being horribly commercial, soppy and cliché.

I haven't had this much fun in a long while - although i gotta say Edge OF Tomorrow was just as good.

My final vote - a very solid 8/10, and I'm wishing for parts 2 and 3 ASAP.

I can see I am in the minority here, but, to be honest, I found the film to be quite intriguing and exciting. I went into the movie "cold", not having read the novel by James Dashner or knowing very much about the plot. For me, this was the type of film that I knew if I just went with the flow and didn't try and look for all the holes in the story and script that I'd be better off.

The way the film was presented by first time director Wes Ball was top notch, as I felt I was right there in the maze with the main characters. The obvious set-up for a sequel at the end of the movie didn't bother me too much as it seems like every movie of this type "has to" have at least one.

In summary, I found this movie to be very absorbing and kept my interest throughout.