Surprisingly gritty, and surprisingly good

Rating: 7/10 (23 October 2014)

My expectations of "The Maze Runner" were not particularly high if I must be honest. Walking in to the theater I was fearing another angst-driven teen movie; like a cheap take on the "Hunger Games" or "Divergent". Much to my surprise, however, "The Maze Runner" delivered. Fast paced, gritty, and supported by good characters and scripting, the movie went beyond just being entertaining; multiple scenes draw you in and immerse you. This was partially due to stunning effects that really emphasized the grand size of the maze, and partially due to the surprisingly dark nature of the film. It would have been easy here to 'gloss over' some of the nastier scenes much like other M-rated titles, but the film makers here decided to go for high impact and sometimes brutal imagery. While not gory by any standards, the dark tone of the film added atmosphere and made for quality viewing.
For those who haven't read the books, the ending may have seemed abrupt, but you leave the cinema feeling like you've got your money's worth... and that's the main thing in this industry