The Maze Runner

Ever since I read the Maze Runner four years ago, I have been hoping for a movie adaptation. At the same time I was nervous that a movie would not live up to the expectations my imagination placed upon it. However, in comparison to other movie adaptations of young-adult best-sellers, I would rate The Maze Runner as one of the best, if not the best. First of all, the movie is mystery-centered, and does not include the seemingly necessary love triangle, or central romance, that many people have come to expect from young adult films. Maze Runner does not invest time in a prologue or an opening narration to bring the viewer into the movie. It thrusts you into the story and lets the plot do the work. By doing so, the movie doesn't get tangled up in its own mythology and lets the mystery take over. While many of the actors in the movie are relative unknowns they all do a great job, save for the rare awkward line delivery. Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Will Poulter are the two best actors in the movie. Each has a very different role, but both are clear and authentic in the portrayal of their character. The movie's score, composed by John Paesano, sounds awesome and I actually stayed through the credits, with no hope of a post credit scene, just to listen to the music. The action, which was hinted at in the marketing, added a layer of intensity to the story with some very convincing CGI. The directing is fantastic with director Wes Ball brilliantly creating some intense action. Despite its "small" budget, The Maze Runner has the look and feel of a modern-day blockbuster. I will admit that this movie does have a few (very minor) problems. While some people who watch this movie will find the ending a bit of a letdown (the "why"), I did not. I will agree that the ending felt more like a set up for a sequel than an actual ending, but as a fan of the books I am okay with that - I want another movie. It is a good thing that the sequel is coming, otherwise the ending would leave the casual viewer (i. e. not a fan of the books) hanging indefinitely. While the movie already has a run time of almost 2 hours it doesn't feel too long, nor too short, I couldn't help but feel that a few scenes were a bit rushed. I can forgive this as it may be the result of the perceptions I carried with me into the theatre. The movie doesn't have any unnecessary scenes which could be eliminated, so if the filmmakers made it longer by extending some scenes the movie would feel dragged out. Despite these gripes, the Maze Runner is fantastic. It is thrilling, well acted, well directed, and includes some awesome visuals. I would like to add a disclaimer that while this is not my highest rated movie of the year, it is my favourite movie of the year. I recognize its flaws, but I enjoyed it immensely. It also has re-watch-ability, as I have already seen it multiple times and it does not become any less exciting with each viewing.