Based on the highly acclaimed book series, The Maze Runner franchise is quickly becoming the sensation in the young adult world. Much like Harry Potter, the Twilight Saga, Percy Jackson and the Olympians and other popular novels, the Maze Runner series has become something of a pop culture phenomenon. The film adaptation took almost no time, and had pre-teens and teens foaming at the mouths. The series recently released a sequel to the successful first film, titled Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. The film directly takes off after the events of the first film, the Maze Runner. The first film was a huge success worldwide, and it made sense to make a sequel. While the sequel is bigger, we’re not so sure about it being better.
In the first film, Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, arrives in the center of a humungous maze. Like many of the others around him, he has no recollection of his past. Brainwashed and left alone, he quickly starts to become a part of the group. Soon, he begins to demonstrate potential, and is promoted to be a Runner – one of the select few who patrol the maze to find a way out. Together, with a couple of others, he tries to persuade everyone that he has an escape route.
Now, in the second film, Thomas is faced with protecting his friends, after discovering a mysterious and diabolical organization called the WCKD. With help from some new people, the Gladers now find themselves smack in the middle of a barren land, called the Scorch. Replete with danger around every turn, and virus-infected beings called the Cranks, the Gladers must find help, and battle the WCKD.
The second film, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, saw most of the cast from the first film reprise their roles. Dylan O’Brien returned as Thomas, as did Ki Hong Lee as Minho, Kaya Scodelario as Teresa, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt and Dexter Darden as Frypan. Apart from the usual names, the film also starred Alexander Flores, Jacob Lofland, Rosa Salazar, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Patricia Clarkson, Terri Dale Parks and many more. Directed by Wes Ball, the film has received warm movie reviews from critics, but has also received a fair share of criticism as well.
The film has been praised for it’s emphasis on capturing the locations really well, the intense action that manages to entertain for short periods of time, and the visual scale of the film. The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials does entertain, and is a fun watch for fans of the series.
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