“The Maze Runner” follows a group of teenage boys that have been trapped in an isolated and quiet community called the Glade, with no memory of how they got there. The teenagers’ lives change drastically when Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) arrives and comes determined to find a way out of the dangerous maze.
After Thomas’s arrival, he learns that surrounding the Glade is a maze that changes each day, filled with deadly creatures named Grievers. A select group of boys called Runners venture into the maze to search for an escape, but the maze changes routes every time, making it difficult to remember any patterns. No one has ever made it out alive, which sparks the interest of Thomas, and makes him volunteer as a runner along Minho. He proves himself resourceful to the Gladers and risks his life for Minho and Alby overnight. The next day, the Box brings the first girl to enter the Glade, Teresa. Teresa carries a note that quotes, “She’s the last one. Ever.” That note signified changes were coming, with no more supply drops, and the maze door remaining open at night, leaving the Gladers vulnerable to the Greivers. With the maze becoming more dangerous, the survivors that were left after the Griever attack realize that staying in the maze means death. Thomas takes charge and convinces most of them to try an escape route through the Greivers hole, while a few others chose to stay back because they feared the real world more than the Glade. The group fights their way past Grievers and make it possible to escape. Thomas, Teresea and Chuck all solve the final puzzle using codes to open a hidden door. From there, they find themselves in a laboratory where they learn they were part of a study to find a cure for the world after a global virus. The remaining Gladers are then rescued by masked soldiers and taken to the next phase of their trials.
While the “Maze Runner” shines in action and suspense, some characters aside from Thomas are not deeply explored. Minho, Newt, and Gally are all Gladers that play important roles in the movie but lack any detailed backstories. It would be more engaging to slow down the action and focus more on the emotional arcs of these characters. Without that, it makes it harder to fully understand them or their decisions. This would add layers to the story and elevate it beyond the adventure plot.
The movie excels in building tension and drawing in the watchers from the first scene. It builds suspense with the correct pacing, keeping both the characters and the audience on the edge. The film also creates a special dynamic between the characters that makes it more relatable. The bond that develops among them as well as their loyalty to each other is a central theme in both the movie and the novel.
