The trend in YA adaptations is that they start out strong and wind cratering, quality wise, but the time the series is over. It’s rare for a series to start out strong and wind up finishing that way; it’s what distinguishes The Hunger Games from the rest. The Maze Runner series, which arguably started out the strongest of the group, wound up cratering in it’s finale due to any number of factors.
Simple premise: a virus has ravaged the world and experiments are being performed on children to find a cure. They’re placed into islands, “Lord of the Flies” style, and spend their lives being experimented on for the cure. When Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) wakes up in one of these glades, he’s the one bound to figure out what’s happening.
We start out with Thomas and friends looking to rescue Minho (Ki Hong Lee) from the clutches of WCKD. From there the remaining members of the group have to break into their headquarters for a final showdown.
It remains the same as The Scorch Trials: a visually arresting film that isn’t all that engaging. The film, which basically is a two-hour chase scene cut up at key moments, is a satisfactory conclusion story wise but the opening salvo of brilliance is missing.
Nothing of significance besides an audio commentary with Wes Ball, which lends some insight into the film.
20th Century Fox presents Maze Runner: The Death Cure . Directed by Wes Ball. Written by T.S. Nowlin, based on the novel by James Dashner. Starring Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Barry Pepper, Giancarlo Esposito, Patricia Clarkson, Aidan Gillen, Rosa Salazar, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Will Poulter. Run Time: 142 minutes. Rated PG-13. Released on 4-24-18
