A group of boys, with no memories of their past lives, must escape a massive maze infested with deadly creatures. A film by Wes Ball, starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Will Poulter, Aml Ameen, Blake Cooper, Chris Sheffield, and Patricia Clarkson.
The MAZE RUNNER
Wes Ball
(2014)
A teenage boy (Dylan O’Brien) regains consciousness in an elevator ascending towards higher ground. As the elevator doors open, he finds himself surrounded by a group of young men. Gally (Will Poulter) greets the newcomer, calling him “Greenie.” Frightened and disoriented, the boy gets up and tries to flee. However, he trips and stumbles to the ground. He finds himself on an expansive glass field enclosed by gigantic stone walls.
The newcomer is captured and locked inside a makeshift prison made of stones, twigs, and bamboo. A young man approaches and introduces himself as Alby (Aml Ameen). He then asks the newcomer if he can tell him who he is and where he came from. Unfortunately, the boy seems to have lost his memories, unable to remember anything, not even his own name. The boy becomes agitated, but Alby tries to calm him, explaining that this happens to everyone here and asserting that he will recall his name in a couple of days.
Alby shows the boy around the area, explaining that they all eat and sleep here. They build their own shelter. They rely on the box for their needs. It is sent up from underground once a month with fresh supplies and a new Greenie. However, they still have no clue about who is responsible for sending them supplies, nor do they know why they were put here in the first place.
Alby introduces Greenie to Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), and tells him that when he’s not around, Newt will be in charge of everything. Alby mentions they have something special planned for tonight. He further explains that in this place called the Glade, there are three rules: first, always do your part. Second, never harm another Glader. And the most important rule, Alby insists, is never to go beyond those walls.
Chuck (Blake Cooper), a chubby boy, is tasked with helping the newcomer settle in. However, the newcomer, curious about what lies beyond the walls, decides to go for a closer look through an opening. Chuck becomes frustrated and tells him they’re not supposed to leave and nobody is allowed to go out. Suddenly, Ben (Chris Sheffield) and Minho (Ki Hong Lee) enter from outside the Glade. Chuck explains that those two are the Runners, different from them, and that they know more about the Maze than anyone else.
That night, Newt fills the newcomer in on the runners – a select group of guys who venture beyond the Glade. Every morning when the doors open, these runners sprint into the maze, mapping and memorizing routes in hopes of finding a way out. But it’s no easy task. The maze is massive, and despite three years of searching, they’re still no closer to finding a way out. Suddenly, a low mechanical hum fills the air. Newt explains that it’s the sound of the maze shifting – apparently, it changes its layout every night. Newt goes on to explain that the runners have to make it back before the doors close, or they’re trapped outside for the night. And that’s a death sentence – no one’s ever survived a night in the maze. Apparently, there are these creatures called Grievers that only come out after dark. Although, nobody’s ever seen one and lived to talk about it.
During a scuffle – one of those “push your opponent out of the circle” games – the new kid accidentally shows up Gally. Big mistake. Gally, fuming, pulls a dirty move with a leg sweep. The newbie loses his footing and smacks his head on the ground. But then, out of nowhere, he jumps to his feet with a wild look in his eyes. “I remember my name!” he shouts. “I’m Thomas!” The other Gladers crowd around, slapping him on the back and welcoming him properly for the first time.
The next day, Thomas is buzzing with ideas. He corners Newt, rattling off escape plans – scaling the walls, hiding in the monthly supply box – you name it. But Newt’s heard it all before. He shuts Thomas down, explaining they’ve tried everything under the sun. The only way out, he insists, is through the maze.
To keep Thomas busy, Newt sends him on a fertilizer run in the woods. But things take a dark turn when Thomas stumbles upon Ben, who’s clearly not himself. Out of nowhere, Ben attacks, trying to choke Thomas while rambling about how he “saw” him and how this is all Thomas’ fault. Panicked, Thomas grabs whatever’s nearby – an animal skull – and cracks Ben over the head before bolting back to the others. The film reveals that Ben has been stung by a Griever. Gally remarks on how Ben got stung in the middle of the day, since Grievers are believed to only roam at night. With no cure and no other options, they’re forced to make a brutal choice. As the maze doors start to close, they shove Ben through, leaving him to face whatever horrors await in the maze.
That night, Thomas’ mind drifts back to a life he can’t quite remember. In his dream, he’s in some sterile lab or operating room, a young woman by his side. The phrase “WICKED is good” echoes on repeat, like a broken record in his subconscious. Come morning, Alby and Minho gear up and head into the maze. They’re on a mission to retrace Ben’s steps, hoping to piece together what went down. Thomas, ever the curious one, can’t help but wonder why Alby’s tagging along. After all, he’s not exactly part of the runner crew. Newt fills him in, and it’s quite the story. Turns out, Alby’s got a unique perspective on this whole mess. He was the first to arrive in the Glade. Newt explains how Alby spent an entire month in the Glade, completely alone, before the box finally coughed up another poor soul.
Late afternoon, every Glader gathers, as they wait impatiently for Alby and Minho to return before the doors close. Thomas suggests that they send someone after them. Gally asserts that this is against the rules. In the maze, they’re on their own; they either make it back or they don’t. Newt reaffirms that they can’t risk losing anyone else. As the doors begin to close, Minho reappears around the corner, carrying Alby, who presumably has been stung by a Griever. The Gladers start hollering at Minho to ditch Alby and save himself. But Minho is determined to drag his friend back or die trying.
It’s all happening in slow motion – the doors inching closed, Minho struggling forward. Before anyone can stop him, Thomas makes a split-second decision that’ll change everything. He bolts for the closing gap, barely squeezing through before the doors slam shut with a bone-shaking thud. Minho sarcastically congratulates Thomas, saying that he just killed himself, as nobody survives a night in the maze.
Directed by American filmmaker Wes Ball in his directorial debut, The MAZE RUNNER is based on the first book of a young adult sci-fi trilogy by James Dashner. The screenplay, written by Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T. S. Nowlin, faithfully captures the book’s plot while keeping the pace snappy for the big screen.
The cast deliver great performances; particularly Dylan O’Brien as the newest arrival to the Glade who shakes things up with his curiosity and determination; Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the second-in-command of the Gladers, his performance provides a necessary counterbalance to the more impulsive characters; and Will Poulter as the complex and often misunderstood Gally.
The MAZE RUNNER is a dystopian science fiction trilogy by James Dashner, consisting of three main novels – The Maze Runner (2009), The Scorch Trials (2010), and The Death Cure (2011) – that follow the story of Thomas, a teenage boy who wakes up in a mysterious maze with no memory of his past. As Thomas and a group of other boys, called Gladers, work together to escape the maze and uncover its secrets, they are faced with new challenges and threats, including crossing the desolate Scorch landscape and infiltrating the organization known as W.I.C.K.E.D. to find a cure for the Flare, a deadly disease that has ravaged the world. The series also includes two prequel novels: The Kill Order (2012) and The Fever Code (2016), which provide additional background on the origins of the Flare and the Gladers’ lives before being sent into the maze. Dashner also published a companion e-book titled The Maze Runner Files, providing additional background information and insights into the world of The Maze Runner series through classified files, emails, and short stories.
I am really impressed by the Griever designed by Ken Barthelmey, which is quite intriguing and interesting, as the Grievers in the novel are described as bulbous, dark creatures with no distinct front or back, that move in a slug-like manner. In the film version, Grievers look much more terrifying with a hybrid of mechanical and organic elements. They emit a mix of mechanical whirs, biological squelches, and animalistic roars that create a truly unsettling atmosphere. They also feature a combination of insect and spider characteristics, with long metallic legs allowing them to scale the height of walls with incredible speed.
What really seals the deal is the ending. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say it wraps up the first part of the story beautifully while leaving viewers hungry for the next installment. It’s the kind of cliffhanger that has you immediately searching for the sequel’s release date as you leave the cinema.
The MAZE RUNNER was theatrically released in the United Staes on 19 September 2014.
The MAZE RUNNER received a 4K Blu-ray release on 1 March 2016 in the United States. This 4K version offers several enhancements over the standard 1080p Blu-ray release.
The 4K Blu-ray features a higher 2160p resolution and support for HDR10 high dynamic range and a wider DCI-P3 color gamut. These improvements result in a more detailed, vibrant, and accurate visual presentation. The audio remains the same reference-quality DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix from the previous Blu-ray.
As for special features, the 4K disc comes as a two-disc combo pack with a Digital HD copy. Bonus content includes an audio commentary with director Wes Ball and co-writer T.S. Nowlin, a 5-part making-of documentary “Navigating the Maze,” a 2-part “Visual Effects” featurette, the short film “Ruin” that landed Ball the directing job (in 2D and 3D), “The Chuck Diaries” featurette on actor Blake Cooper, deleted scenes with optional commentary, and a gag reel and still galleries.
