the maze runner

Brief note, as a huge movie buff, this is a new type of blog segment I'll be posting, titled...

Movies I've Seen in 2014 - The Maze Runner 

Starring: Dylan O'Brien

Supporting: Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee

Directed by: Wes Ball

Plot: Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) awakens one day in a small community called The Glades, with no memory of his life other than his name. Thomas slowly learns that he and all the other boys are trapped in The Glades, with the Maze, an unsolved, constantly changing place, as the only way out.

REVIEW

In a sea of many YA book-to-movie adaptations, it takes quite a bit to even stand out from the bunch; Maze Runner, while not entirely perfect, succeeds in giving something different. The plot and storyline, is darker and the execution of the story is (dare I say) even a little bit more realistic than most YA adaptations. It does not beat around the bush; there is no romance, the world is bleak, and they are all risking death. Gathering plenty of comparisons to Lord of the Flies and Cabin in the Woods, it is certainly directed towards the older generation of YA than the younger kids and the love-obsessed. Kudos.

For a first-time director, Ball does quite a good job. I admit that occasionally, the pacing can be a bit off (at times situations occur a bit too fast, and others it drags a bit), but overall he shows promise that he can handle being behind the camera, and not just be in the art department. He captures the mood of certain scenes quite well. That said, his art background does come in handy. Since most of the movie takes place in the Glades, it's a good thing that, even though it's so small, it's so interesting. Peaceful and calming at a glance, but quite dire and almost lonely and pitiful as the movie goes on. The maze and the monsters within, including the "Grievers," mechanized spider/alien killers that easily terrify the audience, deserve a round of applause on it's own. The intricacy of the maze, yet the simplicity of the looks is fantastic, and the "Grievers," while on paper sound not that bad, are able to look like the monsters from your worst nightmares.

Performance-wise, the cast does a great job. It's great to see such diversity in the cast; a rare thing in Hollywood, and quite refreshing. This is O'Brien's first leading role, and as Thomas, he shows lots of promise in being one of Hollywood's great young actors. Even as a simple archetype at times, he shows depth and emotion, and turns the most obvious of stereotypes (he's curious! He's brave! He's not like the rest; he's the chosen one!) into something real. He will make you laugh, he will make you swoon, he will make you cry, and you will root for him the whole way. As for the supporting cast, it's easy to say that Poulter is the perfect antagonist to go against O'Brien. He is everything I said about O'Brien and stereotypes, but with an antagonistic point of view. While Gally could've easily been a 2-dimensional character, strictly there for causing trouble to Thomas, Poulter makes us see him as more than just a bump in the road, but as a real-life boy, with emotions and heart, and beliefs that he holds more dear than just about anything. In the last scenes of the film, Poulter is a powerhouse. Ki Hong Lee is magnetic as Minho, Thomas Brodie-Sangster is fantastic and charming, and Kaya Scodelario does the best she could do with what could be just a background role. I do wish there was more to Scodelario's character, but there's something in her eyes that still enchants the audience. Newcomer, Blake Cooper, is the heart and the humour of the film as Chuck. He is fantastic as a young boy, with dreams and hopes higher than the sky, and bravery that could shame even the most daring soldier.

All in all, The Maze Runner might not be winning any awards, nor is it up to the level of Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, but it's a step ahead of all the other YA movies. With a cliff-hanger ending that almost promises a sequel (lucky us, apparently they're filming or will be filming soon!), it keeps audiences wanting more. Yes, the plot is a bit by-the-book (as you're watching it, you should be able to know what will happen 2-3 scenes ahead), but then again, it's rare to find a YA movie that isn't. It does a good job at entertaining, and the cast is refreshingly new and talented. There's not much more to say than, let's see Phase 2.