​FILMS

maze runner: THE Scorch trials

2015 review number 140:

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials: (Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller): 73 out of 100: The sequel to last year's The Maze Runner is a worthy follow-up which features the same main cast and director, Wes Ball. Ball has created a movie that is distinctive in visual style, compensating for a standard storyline. It is an enjoyable popcorn flick with fantastic action scenes that will keep you entertained.

 

The sequel begins where the original ended. Protagonist Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and his fellow survivors including Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Minho (Ki Hong Lee), have been taken to a secure location. Here they find themselves with survivors from other mazes being told by site operator Janson (Aidan Gillen) that they will eventually be led to The Promised Land where it is a kind of utopia. Aris Jones (Jacob Lofland) is an escapee of another maze and is suspicious of Janson's motives. Thomas agrees with him and together they discover Janson's intentions. Thomas escapes from the facility with his friends along with Aris, and encounter an inhospitable desert with zombie-like creatures running rampant. In the confusion that exists, Thomas and company are parted from members of their group and gain new allies, Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito) and Brenda (Rosa Salazar).

 

The sequel has an elaborate production design, just like the original. The sets project an image of an apocalyptic, futuristic world. There are some exciting tracking scenes where the camera follows the participants without resorting too much to the hand-held camera technique. Be warned though that numerous scenes are shot in the dark so it is difficult to keep with what is happening at times. Although the action scenes are suspenseful, they do occasionally become a bit frantic.

 

Dylan O'Brien does a credible job as the protagonist without excelling. Most of the young cast is only required to deliver the action scenes and along with the stunt team, they achieve in this department. That's not to say there aren't any dramatic scenes involving dialogue, it's just that these are not as memorable as the action scenes. Patricia Clarkson returns as the villain but doesn't receive as much screen time as the chief villain in Aidan Gillen.

 

The pulsating music score by John Paesano adds to the suspense and tension along with the sound effects, especially when the zombies run amok. This is a technically more proficient film than plotwise due to the aforementioned effects and set design.

 

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials ends with an obvious sequel in mind, just like the original did. This might not please moviegoers who like an ending but it probably echoes the novel on which the movie is based. The pleasing aspect is that you won't need to have seen the first movie to comprehend the sequel because it's virtually a different story. I am looking forward to the third installment in the series.

 

Starring Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Jacob Lofland, Rosa Salazar, Aidan Gillen and Patricia Clarkson

(131 minutes)

Parental advice: Violence

Additional scene during or after credits: No

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDofO3P2HpE (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Tuesday 22nd September, 2015)

 

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