There’s a moment in “The Maze Runner” that sealed my admiration for the film. It comes as a group of teenage boys are staring into the mouth of a massive maze. Its concrete walls tower over them, and the silence of its passages both draws them in and warns them away. Suddenly, a mechanical groan emanates from deep within the labyrinth, and a strong wind comes rushing toward the young men, as if the maze is exhaling. Moments later, its massive doors have ground shut, leaving the boys staring at an impenetrable barrier.
Through moments like this one, director Wes Ball and company bring the series of cold, stone passages to life, making the maze an important character in the film and a genuine threat to the young men. At night, its gears and walls can be heard grinding in the distance, and as stone scrapes against stone, and the screams of Reavers echo through its shifting channels, the boys are reminded that they’ll live to see dawn’s light only because the doors of the maze close when the sun falls.
You might be wondering what the maze is, and why the boys are there. So are the young men as “Maze Runner” opens. One by one, they were brought up in a cage to the center of the maze, a sprawling, verdant glade capable of supporting their needs, providing they work the land to grow food and build shelter. They have no memories of life before the ride up, and no understanding of the purpose of the maze. All they know is the doors open each morning, allowing a few “runners” to explore the passages for a way out, and close at night, keeping them safe.
But what if the doors didn’t close? What if the unknown entity that sent them up from the depths decided to leave them open? Questions like these gnaw at them.
This is a terrific set up for a story. And the film that follows delivers on that promise. Several tense and exciting set pieces take place within the maze as characters battle the Reavers, or race to escape to the glade as the walls of the maze shift. Not only are the visuals impressive, but the sound work is spectacular. You’ll want to see “Maze Runner” in a theater with good audio equipment.
As much as I enjoyed the action, “Maze Runner” is not all sound and fury. Rather, the character work is quite good, too. Thomas, who in the opening moments of the film rises to the surface in the cage, is more or less the central character. He questions the rules, pushes boundaries, and changes things for the small community. Then there’s Alby, the kind young man who serves as the group’s de facto leader, given that he was the first sent up, and Gally, whose gruff exterior stems from his desire to ensure the survival of the community.
One of the hallmarks of youth-oriented movies like “Maze Runner” are the stereotypes. If high school must have its jocks, preps, and nerds, then so must every film made for that age demographic. But not “Maze Runner.” Rather, it’s characters are unique individuals who spend the film responding the extraordinary circumstances around them, not fretting over who’s going to get the girl. This makes the film far more pleasant to the adult palate than nonsense like “Twilight.”
I also like how “Maze Runner,” which is based on a 2009 novel of the same name by James Dashner, doesn’t always go for the happy ending. In an early scene, the young men are forced to banish one of their own to the maze, against his desperate pleas, and two deaths at the end of the film surprised me. The storytelling here is braver than in most of the young adult fiction I’ve encountered.
“Maze Runner” captivates from its opening moments. It offers a good story told well, memorable action scenes, and an ending that answers some, but not all, of the questions it raises. (A sequel is in the works.) From the directing, to the special effects, to the acting, the entire project has the mark of a quality film. I’ve seen it three times, and hope I’ve convinced you to see it at least once.
Three-and-a-half stars out of four. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, including disturbing images. David Laprad is the assistant editor of the Hamilton County Herald and an award-winning columnist and photographer. Contact him at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.