The Maze Runner, or Lord of the Flies vs. Predator, as I like to call it, starts out exactly as it should. Our studly young hero, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) finds himself in some sort of disorienting prison/elevator contraption and when the door opens, a group of young men, mostly in dusty boots and cargo pants, are gaping at him. He has no memory of who he is or where he comes from, but he’s told that he will soon remember his name. “They let us have at least that,” one boy says ominously.
Eventually, he learns the situation: All of the boys have been put on this so-called “Glade”—a swath of land surrounded by four impenetrable walls—by some unknown force. Once a day, the walls open a slit and the designated “runners” go through it, searching for an escape through a complicated and ever-changing maze. If they don’t get back before sundown, the door will close and they’ll be trapped in the maze, presumably to be killed by the “Grievers”—these giant, man-made mutant spider creature thingies.
The Maze Runner is based on yet another of the teenpocalypse genre, and because almost all contemporary young adult literature—from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games—deals with the concept of “specialness,” Thomas immediately feels different from his peers. For one, he’s curious about what lies beyond those walls and doesn’t accept the tribe’s rules of behavior (never ask questions, never venture into the maze at night, etc.). As such, he becomes a leader to some and a threat to others.
You guys! I wanted to love this film so much and I almost did. There’s a lot to recommend. The maze itself is a wonderful contraption, filled with heavy, clanging walls that can quickly trap or crush you. The Grievers are also pretty badass—I’m surprised the film isn’t playing up the Predator-like aspect in its promotions. And the film has an excellent mystery at its center: Why are these boys there? Who is their jailer?
But I wanted more! More infighting among the boys, more dominant personalities emerging, and, yes, more casual cruelty. I mean, when Lord of the Flies is there as a shining example of hell being other boys, why not use it?
Speaking of boys: About halfway through the film, another prisoner arrives—this time a girl (Kaya Scodelario) who seems to have a connection to Thomas. (She knows his name, but can’t remember why.) I wondered, briefly, if her presence might escalate the tension. After all, one girl, 50 or so adolescent boys—you do the math. But no one seems to notice or care that she’s sporting a completely different anatomy.
My biggest problem with The Maze Runner, however, has to do with the ending, which sets up the next film in the trilogy (I mean…of course, it’s a trilogy) in a rather artless way. There are ways to tease a sequel and still gives the audience a sense of closure. The Maze Runner forgot to end this film before it started the next one.