The Maze Runner is a confident start to another YA franchise.

Rating: 7/10 (25 February 2018)

You might be getting sick to death with these YA universes, but guess what? You just got another one. Fortunately though, this is more "The Hunger Games" than "Divergent" in terms of quality. Don't get me wrong, there is a maze...and there is lots of running...a film that I still think, to this day, Tom Cruise would be more than suitable for. Yet, the central mystery and intrigue is what brings you into the story. Mysteriously trapped in what looks like an endless maze, Thomas must figure out why he has been brought to the maze where his survival skills are put to the test. Aside from the sci-fi traits, this strongly reminded me of William Golding's classic novel "Lord of the Flies". In fact, the atmosphere and interactions within 'The Glade' are the most compelling scenes. A struggle for power and authority, the creation of a civilised environment by employing rules that the 'Gladers' abide to and dictating the roles of each individual from agriculture to the more dangerous job of being a "Runner". The way the narrative establishes the characters and their roles may be slightly uninspired but for what it's worth, it works. Dylan O'Brien, in a more physical role, controls the film and is surprisingly engaging (considering his lack of previous lead roles). But it's Will Poulter who yet again shines. His lust for power consumes him and conveys him as the antagonist, however there is more to his character that evokes a sense of sympathy. Confident and commanding. Thomas Brodie-Sangster was also good, but Kaya Scodelario...I still find her wooden and monotonous. She really didn't do much here. The plot is fuelled by conveniences, where one convenient plot device leads to another convenient answer and the mystery continues like that. For its target audience, it's functional. I was onboard and intrigued, so I can't say I was ever bored. I did find it was too focused on building a sequel. This becomes apparent during the rushed expositional conclusion. A fun film that caught me off guard.