Director: Wes Ball.
Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter.
Running Time: 113 minutes
Synopsis: Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they’re all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow “runners” for a shot at escape.
In a time where Young Adult adaptations are proving pretty popular with audiences, it’s not too surprising to see THE MAZE RUNNER running all the way to the big screen. In the film, the arrival of Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) messes with the fragile balance of a small community of boys stuck in the centre of a maze with no memory of what has come before.
As he gets to know the camp’s inhabitants, Thomas starts to ask questions rather than wait for answers and his inquisitive nature rubs some of the camp the wrong way. After all, they have been stuck there a lot longer than he has. The rules are in place for a reason.
The layout of the maze is both claustrophobic and liberating. They may be closed in by the walls but they can look up and see sky. When things are good, you can almost see yourself being content with the home they’ve built.
Unlike films of the same ilk, THE MAZE RUNNER is made firmly for a younger audience, despite the rather shocking deaths littered throughout the film. It’s full of teen angst and has something of a Lord of the Flies feel as every new arrival finds their place in this community.
The most fascinating aspect of the story, however, comes from the central dilemma: is it better to continue on as you are and stay safe or risk your safety and potentially free yourself? Though the constant question being asked is what’s really going on and why are they there, it is in this dilemma where the cracks start to show.
It’s incredibly fortunate that films like this can obtain such large budgets because the superb special effects manage to lift this good, watchable film to greater heights. The maze itself becomes as important a character as the humans which inhabit it. It’s an intimidating presence, scary, enticing and unpredictable and it’s awesome and exhilarating to watch. If the film rested solely on the characters and the dialogue, it may not have proven quite so compelling. Though the cast all do a great job and the story builds with a good pace, much of the humour, drama and emotion in the dialogue is lost amidst the extreme amount of cheesy one-liners.
Overall, THE MAZE RUNNER is a tense, intriguing and action-packed adventure full of adrenaline but perhaps not one for those intolerant to dairy.
[usr=3] THE MAZE RUNNER is released in UK cinemas from Friday 10th October, 2014.
