The Maze Runner $$$ ½
PG-13
113 Minutes
Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong, Lee, Will Poulter, and
Kayda Scodelario.
Director: Wes Ball.
I
hadn’t read the book, but the trailer looked cool so I decided to see the movie
and am glad I did. Now I need to read the book.
Thomas
wakes up in an elevator. He doesn’t know who he is, where he is, or pretty much
anything else. He finds himself in a glade with a bunch of other teenaged boys
in the center of a mammoth maze. The question on the minds of the boys in the
maze and the audience as well is why are they there? That is enough to keep
your attention throughout this movie and wanting to see the next one in the
series.
Here is how I rated the film:
1.
Fun – If you like a movie that places you squarely in the middle of a mystery
then you should like this film. I did. The drive to find out what was going on
kept me riveted.
The Maze Runner gets a Full MB for keeping me
guessing.
2. Story – This is an interesting
story. The premise of placing a bunch of teens in the middle of a maze as some
sort of experiment, and possibly more, is unique enough to be refreshing when
so much of what we get out of Hollywood
The
Maze Runner gets a Full MB for a an intriguing storyline.
3. Technical – The set looked great
and the special effects were excellent. In this situation it is more about
setting the mood for the story and I think they accomplished that quite well.
The
Maze Runner gets a Full MB for putting
me into a brand new environment.
4. Acting – The acting didn’t really
stand out. Everyone was compentent enough that their acting didn’t get in the
way of the story, but failed to grab my attention—with the exception of Aml
Ameen as Alby and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt. I really enjoyed watching
both of these actors on screen and look forward to seeing them do more.
The
Maze Runner gets Half a MB for acceptable acting.
The
Maze Runner gets a rating of 3 ½ Movie Bucks. I suggest seeing it at a matinee
or other discounted showing. It is a little intense in a few scenes and may not
be appropriate for very young children, but I do recommend it to anyone who
enjoys watching a mystery unfold.
Randy’s
Rating System
$$$$ =
Full Price See this movie right away
and pay full price, it’s worth it.
$$$ =
Matinee Catch this as a matinee or
other discounted showing.
$$ =
Discount Wait until this movie reaches
a discount theater near you.
$ =
Rental Wait until this movie
reaches your local video rental outlet.
0 =
No Sale Don’t
see this movie at any price.
