- Movie directed by Wes Ball
- Based on The Maze Runner by James Dashner
- Starring Dylan O'Brien,, Aml Ameen, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Will Poulter, Patricia Clarkson
- Released in 2014
- Runtime: 113 minutes
- Part one of a trilogy
A teenage boy, his name later revealed to be Thomas, wakes in the center of a giant maze without any memories of his identity and previous life. Taken in by a community of other male youths, Thomas quickly learns the Maze is not as safe as one might hope. In the search for answers and a possible escape route, Thomas strives to join the Runners, a branch of boys that daily risk their lives to discover the many passageways of the Maze.
This movie was an interesting experience. I watched for about an hour and a half, just fascinated by the worldbuilding mysteries. Then I suddenly realized that I was close to the end while it felt like the story had yet to truly start. In that regard, there can be no doubt this is the first part in a trilogy.
The action-packed story of The Maze Runner is fully supported by its intriguing central concept: a giant maze, filled with deadly creatures, in which a small community of boys has to survive. Unfortunately, neither the characters nor the plot are convincing enough to be truly captivating, something I don’t believe is the actors’ fault. Also, an unregrettable side-effect of the central concept, is the severe lack of female characters. The one (and only) real female character that does appear has a negligible role.
It could be the result of the rendition from book to film, but at the end of The Maze Runner I was left with many unanswered questions, a few plot holes and a minimal emotional connection with the characters. I was entertained, though. The worldbuilding and the action scenes were stimulating enough that I wanted to see the next movie. I suspect others might appreciate it too.
