The Maze Runner looks sets to be an extraordinary franchise for film lovers.
I sat down to watch THE MAZE RUNNER this morning, expecting to find a weak-paced, children’s movie about a bunch of good looking kids, stuck in a maze of sorts, with no real sense of danger. When I first heard about the film, I decided to steer clear of the books but the released images and general synopsis filled my head with preconceived notions of 113 minutes of teenage-angst, stumbling around an Alton Towers worthy maze game, without a great narrative drive. Boy, was I wrong. What I found was a fast-paces, tense story with impeccable performances from some truly talented young actors.
THE MAZE RUNNER is an adaptation of the science fiction, fantasy novel of the same name, by James Dashner. Our protagonist Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, wakes up in an elevator-come-cage, that throws him up through the ground to an unknown arena called the Glade, it is there he joins a gaggle of other young men, calling themselves The Gladers. Thomas has no memory of who he is or how he got there and surrounding him in this unknown territory, is a giant, mechanical maze, trapping him and the other boys. Each boy has their own place at The Glade and there are only three rule; do your part, never harm another Glader and do not go beyond the walls of the maze. For three years the boys have been living and dying in this stunted world but Thomas’ arrival throws them into chaos and danger, as he is eager to learn more about why they’re there, and who exactly put them there.
The premise is similar to the Hunger Games-esque kind of narrative that audiences are used to seeing at the moment but the details of the story enable The Maze Runner to stand on it’s own and deliver an interesting and unique movie. For a film rated at just a 12A, I was not expecting the level of threat and tension that The Maze Runner so brilliantly delivers.
The very opening scene, in which Thomas is thrown into The Glade, is accompanied by an unnatural, mechanical, non-diagetic sound that forces you to sit up and pay attention as soon as the screen jumps to life. These industrious sounds ring throughout the narrative as the maze changed shape and these only add to the level of threat you need in a movie like this.
They are then nicely juxtaposed with the first images of The Glade, which are at first sight, peaceful, natural and this gives audiences a false sense of comfort that is then quickly dragged form under them. This juxtaposition of nature and mechanics is mirrored in much of the narrative and connotes a sense of good vs evil, life vs death. As well as this, as we see our characters enter the dreaded maze, we’re introduced to the hideous monsters that reside there, known as Grievers. These spider/scorpion, robotic hybrids are genuinely terrifying and an arachnophobic’s worst nightmare. They only add to the sense of threat at a level I was not expecting, there were many times that I could feel my legs twitch with anticipation as I questioned how Thomas and his gang would survive in this nightmare.
The true triumph of this film, however, is the smorgasbord of young talent that fills each scene with a sense of raw character acting that is genuinely impressive. Dylan O’Brien takes on the main role with a confidence that could match some of the most established actors, surprisingly so, considering his current career doesn’t stretch very far. He is in very good company with the rest of his cast, including Aml Ameen, who plays father figure and first ever Glader, Alby. Our resident Brits flying the flag in this big blockbuster are Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Will Poulter, who are both breaking free of that pesky ‘childhood actor’ labels with real gusto.
Then there is Kayla Scodelario, who plays Teresa, the only girl to ever be thrown in The Glade. My main gripe with The Maze Runner is that Scodelario is completely overlooked and could have really given some great narrative drive, if only her character had been used that little bit more. I would loved to have seen more of the dynamic between her and the other Gladers, as well as her mysterious relationship with Thomas.
Generally, knowing so little about The Maze Runner could bode well for the audience. The sense of threat and danger goes beyond the level you’d expect from a child-friendly film and this is something which the film could benefit from in the coming sequels.
The young talent in this film is superb, with special attention to Will Poulter who is definitely one to watch. The story feels familiar but considering a real effort was put into creating the correct atmosphere it’s not difficult to look past that. If you like your sci/fi, fantasy genre with a little extra danger added in, The Maze Runner is for you! With two more sequels in the works, it’s going to be an exciting franchise for film lovers!
Verdict
Directed by Wes Ball, THE MAZE RUNNER is out in cinema’s now! Haven’t seen the trailer? Check it out!
