Review of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) by Filipeneto — 29 Jan 2021

After the success of the first film, the sequel was expected. And I was pleased to see it, as the first film leaves everything open and raises our curiosity for what comes next.

In this film, Thomas, Teresa and the boys from the labyrinth goes to a place where there are other young people, from other labyrinths that apparently existed elsewhere. However, it is evident right from the start that the place belongs to the terrible medical organization that had kept them trapped in the maze. After they manage to escape, they discover themselves in a ruined, arid and devastated world, where the only human beings who are there are sick and maddened zombie creatures.

The film is a good sequel and rises to the level of the previous film. The only thing that disappointed me was really seeing that the sick humans were similar to the living dead of a thousand and one films and series like "Walking Dead", for example. I expected something different. In any case, it was not unpleasant and allows for good action scenes and runs amid the ruins. The plot twist near the end is intense, unexpected and in fact allows for a very well done finish. The pace of the film is pleasant too.

The film has a very good cast, and maintains the hard core of the previous film, as it had to be. Dylan O’Brian remains a good protagonist and does a very safe job. Scodelario received better material and her character was much more developed in this film, which allowed the actress to do a more interesting job. The love interest of O’Brian and Scodelario’s characters is developed and credible. Ki Hong Lee and Thomas Brodie-Sangster also do a very good job on this film. Giancarlo Esposito is a welcome addition. Rosa Salazar is more effective as an action figure than in the inglorious task of making a love triangle with Scodelario and O'Brian, where she fails miserably. Patricia Clarkson is a weak and uninteresting villain, although she tries to look bad. Aidan Gillen was more effective in this task.

The film has excellent production values and there is a lot of money tied up in high quality CGI that makes the whole world look like a deserted, inhospitable, poisoned and ruined place. Infected human creatures, as I said, are the least positive thing in the film, as we have seen better zombies in other films, where it is clear and assumed to be zombies. The film has excellent cinematography, is visually magnificent and makes the most of light and colors. However, it is darker than the first film. The soundtrack also deserves mention. Composed by John Paesano, whom I did not know, it is an intense soundtrack, with an epic and deep sense.