So many questions unanswered

Rating: 7/10 (17 October 2014)

Thomas regains consciousness in an industrial elevator which dumps him unceremoniously in The Glade, where he joins a group of other young lads, none of whom remembers anything except their name. Every month another member joins them: this has been going on for 3 years. The Glade is surrounded by vast walls in which a gate opens in the morning and closes at night: this leads into the Maze which surrounds the Glade. Some of the boys are Maze Runners, mapping the Maze, If they don't get back into the Glade by the time the doors close, they are killed by things called Grievers. Thomas proves to be a catalyst for change among the group, but this is not without its own difficulties.
Not another young adult dystopia movie, I hear you ask? Or, more accurately, the first offering in a franchise? Well yes, but don't despair because this is not without its merits. It hits the ground running and never lets up, the youngsters involved are all pretty good (with Will Poulter outstanding), and the effects – the Maze and the Grievers – are very well realised.
On the less positive side, I was quite happy with the film starting off as an action mystery, but I was less happy with the resolution – there are a LOT of unanswered questions at the end of this film, and the obvious set up for the next episode doesn't fully excuse the film for not answering some of them rather better than it does.
But overall it remains an entertaining and eye-catching romp.