The Maze Runner is yet another teen novel rolling off the Hollywood production line and is directed by Wes Ball. The plot consists of a group of teenage boys who are trapped in an area they call The Glade which is surrounded by huge maze walls. Their memories are wiped clean with the only information that the boys can remember is their first name. Whilst trying to figure out how to escape the ever changing labyrinth, the boys create their own society with set jobs for each member who arrives, establishing a sense of normality. When a boy named Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) arrives, their way of life starts to change due to Thomas' curiosity and intrigue for what lurks inside the maze and sets on trying to escape, ignoring warnings from the rest of the group. This causes a rift with the group's enforcer Gally (Will Poulter) as the two battle out on what is the best way for the group to ultimately survive.
I went to see this with my mate at an advanced screening on the Tuesday before the film's release date. The screen was packed out with over excited teenage girls. I must admit I wasn't quite as hyped as they were, even with two bottles of Pepsi at my side. It again highlights why teen novels are a huge market for the film industry. They're the new cash cows. They without doubt always make a shed load of money. The quality of the film doesn't even come into the minds of the studio executives. Instead they're blinded with the cash signs, lighting up their boardrooms like a Christmas tree. That's my reason as to why I'm always sceptical with these films. They can quite easily rob you of your money with no satisfaction in return. Armed with my Sour Patch Kids and Pepsi, I was ready for the onslaught of The Maze Runner. An easy way out or a horrible dead end? (I'll try to resist the urge for a terrible pun-infested review).
What was apparent from the start was the surprisingly intense dark tonal feel to the film. Wes Ball skillfully sets up impressive sequences particularly inside the maze, in which he used his experience as a visual effects artist to his advantage. The film felt sleek and fresh, It created good amounts of tension and suspense at the precise moments which kept me invested in the story for a large proportion of the run time. Dylan O'Brien and Will Poulter were both excellent and carried the rest of the cast in a very mature fashion. The quality that they managed to pull off from a very standard, unimaginative script was impressive. The sign of two future stars in the making, Poulter's character could have easily come across as a typical "I'm the big man" teenager with no substance but you understood his reasons of anxiety and why he was hostile towards Thomas throughout the film. Their chemistry was the highlight for me.
And for all the great things about the film, it was stupidly hindered by little things that really took a big hammer blow on the story and the overall quality of the film. Firstly there are two 10-15 second flashbacks within the first act which Thomas experiences that completely destroyed any mystery the film had in the first place. They meant you could quite easily predict as to who was behind the maze set up, even if you're not a film buff. If you haven't read the book, these daft flashbacks would ultimately ruin any mystery you may have as to who the antagonists were. For all the great CGI work carried out, some of it looked like it'd been done by a ten year old messing around on Mircosoft Paint. But worst of all, the final scene really annoyed me nearly to the point of hatred. It's the most blatant "we're having a sequel" scene I think I've ever witnessed. Now some may say that the ending is being loyal to the book. Fair enough, however this isn't a book, it's a film adaptation which needs to be handled differently. I understand that you need a some sort of set up for the next installation for a series, but don't throw it in my face that it feels like I'm being held at gunpoint by the studio to watch the next film. If you're gonna to do that at least give some respect to the audience who've just paid a good chunk of money to watch your first production. Some people were laughing sarcastically behind us and I don't blame them.
The Maze Runner is one of the better teen novel films that have been released and if you're a fan of the books I'm sure you'll enjoy it, especially the performances. But sloppy editing and a cringe-worthy ending sucks any potential the film had.
5/10
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