The Maze Runner

CinemaBlend

Welcome to The Glade. It's a huge field surrounded by giant walls, where an underground elevator delivers supplies, food, and a new addition to the community. One day, the elevator brings up Thomas (Dylan O'Brien). Like everyone in The Glade, he remembers nothing about his life before entering The Glade, but it soon informed of the situation by his companions.

The Glade is actually the center of a giant maze. For three years, a chosen few run out to the maze every day to try and find an exit from their prison. The passage from the maze to The Glade closes every night, where giant, spider-like killing machines, known as "Grievers" (kind of like metallic Shelobs from Lord of the Rings), are released. Thomas starts questioning their purpose for being trapped in the maze, and begins investigating a bit too zealously for the liking of The Glade's other inhabitants.

As Thomas uncovers a few clues about their prison, he starts to show skill in the maze, so much so that he's promoted to be a maze runner. He also befriends the group's leader Alby and fellow runner Minho but quickly butts heads with Gally, a character who might just be the biggest jock d-bag in this dystopian universe. Thomas's discoveries soon lead to death, confusion, and destruction within The Glade, and even more eyebrows raise when the newest arrival, Teresa, recognizes Thomas by name.

The Maze Runner doesn't answer all the questions it poses, which hits as a "whoa…wait a minute!" moment when you walk out of the theater. It is a functional mystery, however, and manages to build suspense, both immediate and long-term. The characters don't stand out too much, and the story itself is so-so, but the movie covers its weaker components with an impressive Hollywood-esque action movie pace, a few surprising twists towards the ending (although one too-similarly evokes a scene from The Hunger Games… there's even a spear involved), and some pretty great performances.

Will Poutler (We're the Millers) surprised me with his screen time as Gally - his accent was unnoticeable but his intimidating presence sure was. Teen heartthrob Dylan O'Brien (TV's "Teen Wolf") is trusted to hold the film on his shoulders, and while he sold me Thomas, he definitely shows promise for better performances than this one. Blake Cooper's portrayal as the youngest member of The Glade's community, Chuck, adds heart (and even a bit of comic relief) to the film. But the film's best actor is Thomas Brodie-Sangster ("Game of Thrones"/Love Actually). Sangster's confidence as an actor exudes in his performance as Newt - it's clear this is what he was born to do, and he knows it.

It's nothing spectacular, but The Maze Runner is a solid and consistent Saturday-afternoon matinee flick, filled with mystery that intrigues and a few hit-or-miss suspenseful action sequences. The ending makes you feel like you made a good choice going to see The Maze Runner, and what can I say? I am pretty excited for the sequel.

Rating: 3.5/5