What’s it about?
One by one, month after month, teenage boys arrive in a glade, surrounded by a maze. Memories wiped, they only know their names. The lost boys form a society which is rocked by the arrival of Thomas, whose curiosity and natural ability as a ‘runner’ in the maze brings fresh danger, but also the chance of escape.
What did we think?
Francesca says: Based on the YA book by James Dashner, this is director Wes Ball’s first feature length film, and it shows in the sometimes clunky storytelling. However, with fantastic production design, a solid young cast and suspenseful action scenes complete with proper scary monsters, this is a perfectly entertaining film, as long as you don’t think about it too hard (after so many months in the glade, why do all these boys still have such great hair?).
This is based on book one of a trilogy (of course), and is certain to please the Hunger Games crowd, so enjoy and stay tuned for the sequel.
Lord Of The Flies meets The Running Man and it’s actually a bit of fun. The premise is interesting and you’re left wondering for most of the movie as action merges with the mystery. However by the end the Russian Doll level of riddles within riddles actually detracts from what is still a solid story. Weak late but the teenagers in my screening had extremely strong emotional reactions.
Of the many paths this teen-led actioner takes you, it is the tried and true race-against-the-clock plotting that wins the day. Neat premise (and a metaphor for being a teen no doubt) but by the end I had as many questions as the lead character had at the start.