an engrossing YA adaptation

Rating: 7/10 (18 October 2014)

Another YA adaptation gets the green light for a sequel this year, after Shailene Woodley's star-making vehicle DIVERGENT (2014, 6/10), although both are welterweights compared to THE HUNGER GAMES juggernaut as far as rate of return is concerned. THE MAZE RUNNER is unique in its claustrophobic single-location setting (considerably slims down the budget, an estimated $34 million set side by side with $85 million of DIVERGENT), 90% of time the youngsters (boys exclusively) are entrapped in a glade (so they are called gladers) with the only exit is a giant maze with jumbo cybernetic arthropods named Grievers preying them.
One asset of the film is that it is utterly engrossing ever since the first scene, there is no conventional post-apocalyptic pretext. Audiences are catapulted to the strange place with our protagonist Thomas (O'Brien), whose memory is erased as those precedent gladers. Save that Thomas intermittently recollects some fragments of his memory with blurry and glitchy flashback sequences, the narrative closely clings to how he adapts a game-changer identity among the group with his agile movability, gallant actions and sharp judgment. Thankfully, it is not a lone hero scenario, the story rightfully homes in on the collective collaboration, with discordance looming around, and a ruthless body count which declares that some key members have no chance returning for the sequel.
The action set pieces are not so frequent, but director Wes Ball consistently cashes in the mysterious surroundings to elevate an atmosphere approximate to an edge-of-the-seat thriller, although we are certain they will find a way out, nevertheless the curiosity is resided in the final revelation, who is the heartless mastermind behind-the-scene and why on earth these boys are treated like guinea pigs in a laboratory, for what purpose? The ending only moderately justifies our questions, and leaves a glaring plot-hole (how come Gally finds the way and the password to enter the lab anyway) which necessitates an explanation in the sequel.
The young cast has done a crack job, O'Brien, Lee (as Minho), Brodie-Sangster (as Newt), Poulter (as Gally) and Cooper (as Chuck) are all sparklingly prominent in the male-bonding- or-clashing coterie, the only girl Teresa (Scodelario), is an awkward addition, rashly introduced in the middle stream, it is a blessing there is no romance lead to distract our attention, anyway, in a three-day span, it is plausible there is no room for that cliché, but it is a sure thing the chemistry is bubbling under between Teresa and Thomas, and luckily we will wait for it in the second chapter.
The movie fully taps into its formidable production design and as a whole it is neat and compelling without any eye-rolling bells and whistles (no nudity, mawkish love story or tangential ego-boosting blah-blah), a 2D version is a satisfactory pick for a Saturday matinée and I will say yes to the next chapter in 2015.