Fast-paced and gripping teenage dystopian film with an interesting premise

Rating: 7/10 (5 October 2014)

This was a fast-paced, gripping film with an interesting premise. Based on the popular dystopian book of the same name, The Maze Runner tells of a boy named Thomas who wakes up one day with all his memories gone, save his name. Together with a group of other teenage boys, he has been placed in the Glade, at the centre of a maze filled with dangerous creatures known as Grievers. The boys have organised themselves with Alby as leader, and everyone having designated roles and following a set of rules. The Runners among them have been mapping out the maze for the past two years, but are nowhere near finding an escape. Soon after Thomas' arrival, the chief runner Minho struggles to bring an injured Alby back into the Glade before the doors close at sunset and they are stuck outside to face almost certain death. Thomas rushes out to help, but winds up stuck in the maze with them. With Minho fighting alongside Thomas manages to kill a Griever by trapping it. The next day, they retrieve something of importance and find a way out. For the first time, a girl is delivered to the Glade, accompanied by a note saying "She's the last one ever". Another boy, Gally, assumes leadership. Wanting to maintain the status quo, Gally opposes Thomas and his plans for escape.
Although I only read the Wiki synopsis of the book, I suspect that the film is a better - tighter but with all the essential elements of the story intact. The action scenes were great - suspenseful and convincing - and the maze was just how I imagined it. The Maze Runner ended on a promising note of deeper mysteries to be uncovered, but how this film is judged will ultimately depend on what happens in the sequels.