Maze Runner [1], The (2014) [Blu-ray]
Action | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

In this heart-pounding survival thriller based on the best-selling novel, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien of MTV's Teen Wolf) wakes up trapped in a massive, ever-changing maze with a group of boys who have no memory of the outside world. Facing dangerous obstacles at every turn - especially the deadly Grievers that roam the concrete corridors at night - Thomas and the others must race to piece together clues in order to discover their true purpose... and find a way out before it's too late!

Storyline: Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "The Glade" for three years, trying to find a way to escape through the Maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys. Written by KelseyJ

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman, December 13, 2014 -- Many of us fathers with teenaged boys marauding through our lives might not complain that much (at least for a while) should our sons be transported to a sylvan encampment surrounded by an impenetrable stone fortress wall, where they could work through their hormonally charged behavior with impunity, quasi-Lord of the Flies style. There are no parental units in sight in The Maze Runner, a formulaic if involving thriller positing a teenager named Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), who awakens with a start inside a caged elevator that is being hoisted at a rather alarming rate of speed toward some unknown destination. Thomas is obviously completely disoriented (to the point that he initially doesn't even remember his name) and only becomes more so once the elevator hatch opens and he finds himself surrounded by other boys and young men staring down at him and laughing at the "new greenie." Thomas makes a mad dash for freedom, at least that is until he notices that there is no escape. He's in a huge field with a surrounding forest, with that aforementioned insanely tall stone wall backing the treed space. The other guys are now laughing even more heartily, and Thomas' consternation is complete. The Maze Runner offers an intriguing premise, one that plays upon well developed tropes of dystopian futures and teens coming to the rescue as have been well exploited in other young adult franchises like The Hunger Games and Divergent. A lot has been written about The Maze Runner's supposed "darkness", even in comparison to the not exactly cheery Hunger Games or Divergent, but ironically a lot of the film plays out in a kind of languid summery ambience that seems to suggest the boys are taking part in the latest installment of Survivor. There are hints of mayhem on the horizon, however, especially once Thomas becomes better informed about the predicament of the residents of the so-called Glade.

For all of the ways that The Maze Runner is ostensibly different from its "young adult" kin (like those two aforementioned franchises), curmudgeons may well be prone to seeing more similarities than variances in several key plot points. Thomas is a plucky outsider who's not afraid to tweak the rules and swing for the veritable fences (and/or mazes, as the case may be). He immediately gets on the wrong side of Gally (Will Poulter), and after Thomas doesn't just forage into the maze surrounding the Glade (something that's a definite no-no, due to marauding beasts the kids call Grievers), but has the audacity to survive and tell the tale, Gally is even more convinced that Thomas is going to spell disaster for what has become a relatively stable and peaceful existence for the kids. In other words, put Thomas through a sex change operation, give him a crossbow and arrows, and a certain Katniss Everdeen may spring to some minds.

Interestingly, there's actually not the oppressive dystopian ambience of either The Hunger Games or Divergence on display— at least initially—in The Maze Runner, and instead the film details Thomas' slow acclimation to his new living conditions, as he becomes more and more obsessed with penetrating the labyrinth surrounding the Glade and solving the mystery of why they're all there in the first place. There are a number of subplots woven into the overall escapade, with a number of other boys playing various parts in Thomas' self-awakening. Ultimately a lone female named Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) appears in the Glade, and like any teenaged girl surrounded by a bunch of hormonal boys, she takes to the high ground with defensive capabilities. There's some intrigue about her appearance, as well as the fact that she seems to know Thomas, while Thomas has absolutely no recollection of ever having met her.

The film offers a number of nicely executed action sequences, including a great showdown between Thomas and a Griever surprisingly early in the film. But for all of its CGI wonderment, The Maze Runner turns out to be something of a character study, detailing kids in a kind of organic Skinner Box who are frankly becoming annoyed with being some kind of lab rats. The biggest complaint some may have with The Maze Runner is that after an expected series of revelations shows up late in the film, it almost feels like the entire two or so hours of The Maze Runner has been nothing more than a mere prelude, a tease even, for what really seems to be going on, which will no doubt be elaborated upon in the film's already announced sequel. In other words, it's not just Thomas trying to make his way through some convoluted architecture to finally get to some answers.

There's quite a bit about The Maze Runner that's overly familiar, and yet the film does manage to cast a rather creepy spell quite a bit of the time. Performances are generally quite good, though the supporting cast is perhaps more memorable than star Dylan O'Brien, who seems a bit predictable at times. Director Wes Ball keeps things moving along at a decent pace, offering good action interludes between character beats that help to establish the predicament of Thomas and the other boys (and, ultimately, girl). Some may still feel a bit shortchanged that all of the fuss and bother ends up pointing to something that's pretty much a cinematic version of "to be continued." Technical merits are first rate, the supplementary package is extensive, and The Maze Runner comes Recommended.

[CSW] -3.1- Since this was adapted from the popular novel for young adults, it is primarily for young adults. In a dystopian world where the dominant characters are teens... stop there a minute. Is that starting to sound like a broken record to you? Just for starters, The Hunger Games, Divergent and even Battle Royale come to mind; this type of plot may be getting little overused. Overused or not with some good screenwriting and some fine acting by a youthful cast they manage to pull of an entertaining and unusual story line. Not all of your question will be answered but as the only adult actor of note Ava Paige said "I am sure by now you all must be very confused... angry, frightened. I can only assure you that everything that's happened to you... everything we've done to you... it was all done for a reason" That gets right to the heart of the young adult dilemma, they just don't understand how everting fits together in their lives yet, and in this dystopian world you may not either. If you spend your time looking for plot holes you will find enough to keep you from enjoying this action / mystery / sci-fi / thriller. So put your curiosity in high gear and your analytical mind in low gear and enjoy this one.
P.S. Be sure to catch the 8.5 minute CGI Ruin in the extras in both 2D and 3D formats.

--- JOYA ---


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