The Maze Runner Movie Review

I was fortunate enough to have been invited by Sky Cable to the special advanced screening of The Maze Runner last Tuesday night at The Bonifacio High Street Cinemas and I must say that I am just loving that Dolby Surround. If you haven't been to the cinemas in High Street then you really should and I just have to tell you guys something that I found amusing, so you know how it is in. In cinemas before a movie starts they play the National anthem right? 

Well in the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas instead of playing a video of "Lupang Hinirang" studded with local stars (I actually prefer the alternative one with the modern heroes) with a loud recording of the National Anthem playing, the cinema played a Karaoke version without the music. So of course people were only singing in a whisper like volume as the lyrics flashed through the screen and the words lit up - pretty much like your standard karaoke. 

I sang at a moderate level, my years of singing in the church choir giving me the necessary confidence and boy was I glad I did too - because after the anthem the following was flashed on the screen: 

"That was the sound of our future.

Did you do your part?" 

Of course people who sang in whisper volume would feel sheepish about themselves, so make sure you guys vocalize before hitting the High Street Cinemas okay? 

Before the movie started, our host for the evening Sky Cable reminded the audience that the Fall TV series was coming up which means new seasons of all our favorite shows...so drool...drool...

Speaking of new shows, there's a new channel up at SKY Cable! Universal Channel 73 it offers fresh from the US shows like Chicago Fire and Grimm. You can also book Movie Nights with Universal Channel. So make sure you guys check that out the next time you open the TV. 

Now on to the Movie Review! 

I was still reading the book (still am actually) when I saw the movie, now I usually prefer finishing the book first before watching the movie adaptation but like I said in my If I Stay book review, it's hard to keep up with the rate of book to movie adaptation that's coming out these days. 

I really wasn't following the production news of the movie, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a few familiar faces on the screen. 

First off was Thomas Brodie-Sangster who played Jojen Reed in the HBO Series Game Of Thrones (now we know what happened to him after he (surprise) died in the last season. (although in the book he didn't die -well not yet) So from the Frozen North we find Thomas Brodie-Sangster in the Glades playing the second-in-command Newt. 

He is also known as the voice of Ferb in Phineas and Ferb and of course his role as Sam in the movie, Love Actually.

Next up we have Will Poulter who I first saw as Eustace Scrubb in The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader and I must say that I was really impressed with his performance in that movie. 

He also stars alongside Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis and Emma Roberts in the comedy, Meet The Millers now I haven't seen this movie yet but I definitely want to see it! :) 

In case you didn't know Will Poulter won the 2014 BAFTA Rising Star Award and the 2014 MTV Movie Award for  Best Breakthrough performance for his role in Meet The Millers -so this guy has some acting chops with him and you see that too in The Maze Runner as he plays the tough Gally. 

It's surprising that it's the supporting actors whom I was glad to see in the movie, I honestly haven't heard of lead actor Dylan O'Brien who plays Thomas. Thumbs up to him for leading a talented cast of actors. 

The movie opens with a dazed Thomas in a steel crate, he is dirty and confused, he can't remember, anything, a group of boys of different ages, open the crate which contains Thomas, they point and laugh at him and call him 'greenie' 

In what seems like a twisted version of Peter Pan's The Lost Boys (without the pixie dust) these boys have lost more than just their mothers as they can't seem to remember anything or why they were placed in The Glades. 

In a span of three years, the group of boys have come up with a system and society that has allowed them to coexist and live together, each one has an assigned task and our hero Thomas has his eyes set on a huge maze, which Runners run through every morning but must come out of before dusk as the maze closes, changes and becomes the home of Grievers and no one has seen a Griever to tell the tale.

With Thomas' arrival, he begins to ask questions and to challenge the rules that have been set, little does anyone know but things are about to change-and fast. 

In a surprising combination of Temple Run, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Aliens, the action and suspense scenes in The Maze Runner left me with my mouth open, hands clutched because of the heart stopping sequences. 

Fans are also buzzing about the only rose in the thorns - Kaya Scodelario (Skins) who plays mystery girl Teresa. I'm really not familiar with Skins but she was definitely a pleasure to watch on the big screen! 

Although lacking in logic and explanation as to the real reason for the post apocalyptic situation (an explanation is given at the end of the film, but that just gives you more questions) I would just put it off so that audiences would either pick up the next book in the series or wait for the movie sequel. 

Darker in tone than most Young Adult Post Apocalptic movies, and also lacking in the social and moral questions of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner focuses on another attribute of adolescents - what it means to work as a team, the perseverance to fight and the strength to challenge the set norms. 

I recommend the movie - although you'll probably want to read the book after, as I said earlier you'll get more questions at the end but the action scenes throughout definitely make up for all that. 

The Maze Runner is distributed by 20th Century Fox and is already showing in cinemas!