MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS
DIRECTOR: Wes Ball
CAST: Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, will Poulter, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Barry Pepper, Patricia Clarkson, Lili Taylor
CLASSIFICATION: 13 VH
RUNNING TIME:132 minutes
RATING: 3 stars (out on 5)
Theresa Smith
MORE SLICKLY filmed than the first film, The Scorch Trials picks up where Maze Runner ended and just runs off into the desert the first chance it gets.
We get several different settings as opposed to the claustrophobic Glades of the first film, and a whole lot more people. The story moves along and there are lots of well-choreographed action sequences. But, about three-quarters in, despite all the action, it starts lagging and feeling a whole lot more like a set-up for the third film.
Newbies unfamiliar with the first film need not apply as this is very much for the fans of the first surprise hit – it will be confusing to those not familiar with The Maze. Though, out here in The Scorch, there are all sorts of other dangers.
Thomas (O’Brien) – who successfully led his little band out of the Maze of the first film – and his friends are escorted by armed men into a militaristic building and introduced to Janson (Gillen).
Surprised to learn they were not the only teenagers experimented on in mazes, they are just as confused as the audience about what is going on and remain in the dark as much as we do.
Gillen turns on the suspicious smarm very quickly, so we are not surprised when Thomas persuades the little band to break out, leading them into the desert through a Walking Dead episode.
The zombies from left field are never properly explained, nor are the destroyed cities or just what WCKD (Wicked, to everyone) is up to. That would be the World in Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department, but again those words pass you by so quickly, you don’t even catch it the first time around.
Pursued by Wicked, Thomas and his friends run from one disaster to the next and this is where director Wes Ball shows a flair for keeping up the tension when the fists are flying, giving the kids ingenious ways of worming their way out of trouble.
Interchangeable characters – most of whom are spoiling for a fight, though goodness knows what they’re fighting about or for – drop by the wayside as the kids meet more new people and eventually Patricia Clarkson comes striding out of a futuristic aircraft, all dressed in crisp white, channelling her inner Jeanine (Divergent).
The film incorporates elements from James Dashner’s third book and drops others so do not expect a faithful adaptation – but if you haven’t read the books there is a lot that is not going to make sense. So, it’s a Catch 22 situation, really.
To the adult eye the film references all sorts of dystopian films from (original) Mad Max to Day of the Dead, while to the undiscerning teenage eye it is something to identify with – clever teenagers against the angry adults who make up silly rules that don’t make sense.
Entertaining as long as you don’t actually try to be sensible about it.
If you liked, The Maze Runner or The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, you will like this.