REVIEW:
The Maze Runner
4.5 flamers
2014 20th Century Fox. Directed by Wes Ball. Running time: 113 minutes. PG 13. Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Will Poulter, Kaya Scodelario
Helm: I was not really expecting much from this film, seeing as how it was based on another of those books intended for children that you read all the time, but I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Mathew: The genre is called YA fiction, Helm, and it's accessible to all ages.
Helm: But specifically written for children like yourself?
Mathew: The books were best-sellers, Helm. Lots of adults read and enjoyed them. Just like you enjoyed this movie.
Helm: I did enjoy this movie. I found it immediately engaging and thought it was well paced and acted. The note of initial mystery is strong and holds through the whole film without wearing thin. There were a few events that were telegraphed far too clearly--probably because children wouldn't have seen them coming--but other than that, it was very engrossing.
Mathew: I beg to differ.
Helm: Beg all you want. You are wrong.
Mathew: What I meant was-
Helm: No one cares.
Mathew: Listen Helm, we review movies as a team, alright? That means my opinion counts too. I can talk.
Helm: Verily. In fact, you seem to have a problem keeping quiet.
Mathew: Dang it, Helm! Fine. I'll be the adult here.
Helm: Or at least the young adult.
Mathew: Ignoring you.
I thought this film was AWESOME! It rocked. The special effects were good, it was loyal to the book, the characters were amazingly well cast--even in instances where they were different than described in the book, I still felt like they worked. And I thought the twists and turns were really surprising!
Helm: You know, it is very unfair to use you as a yardstick for judging surprise. I have seen you surprised by the fact that you have to get up in the morning and by the fact that, if you continue to over-eat, you will remain obese.
Mathew: You're obese.
Helm: Technically, I am not.
Mathew: Whatever. I'm a good reviewer and you're not. You never say anything interesting about the films and you just spend all your time criticizing me.
Helm: Well how about this then? I think the director, Wes Ball, may have handled this, his first real feature film, so deftly because he comes from a special effects/graphic arts background as well as directing, writing and editing . This was a film in which special effects played a significant role but needed to remain a credible part of the background rather than ostentatiously taking center stage. I thought he carried that off quite well.
Mathew: Wait. What?
Four Flaming Swords!!
Five Flaming Swords!!
Helm: I really only knocked off that one sword because of the thing with the chubby kid and that bit with that other kid.
Mathew: Those were totally reasonable and unexpected!
Helm: I saw them coming a mile off.
Mathew: But it was still an AWESOME movie.
Helm: It was still a very good movie.