Review of The Maze Runner (2014) by Mike D — 08 Aug 2015

As the latest young adult novel turned feature film in the post-apocalyptic, dystopian genre, 2014's 'The Maze Runner' satisfied many fans thanks to its suspenseful plot and cast of up-and-coming members of young Hollywood. In a nutshell, 'Runner' follows the lives of teen boys who are imprisoned by unknown forces in a giant field surrounded by an even giant-er, treacherous maze. The story picks up when the latest boy named Thomas joins the pack (played by Dylan O'Brien), followed by the first girl in the community (played by Kaya Scodelario) then all sorts of craziness ensues shortly thereafter.

Where 'Runner' really succeeds is in keeping the audience's attention. There are enough action-packed scenes to go around, as well as plenty of drama and political infighting among the cast, harkening back to the situations straight out of 'Lord of the Flies.' In terms of acting, as mentioned above, there are plenty of fresh faces who will likely go on to become recognizable stars in the future, including Will Poulter, Aml Ameen and Ki Hong Lee. They do a good job of depicting the rivalry that exists, considering they are facing the tough question of whether it's worth risking the "comfortable" circumstance they're in for the chance at escaping their imprisonment.

As for the CGI in 'Runner,' it's nothing to write home about, but it's okay. There are only a few key scenes in which it's essential, so it's not a big deal that we're not looking at the kind of CGI we'd find in a Marvel movie. Also, the use of flashback scenes in Thomas' mind is a tool that helps the audience put two and two together when things are not quite making sense.

Overall, considering conventional wisdom is books are usually better than the movies that follow them, 'The Maze Runner' is a strong effort that will keep audiences of all ages entertained.