The Maze Runner series is a film about the struggle for survival and identity in a limited and mysterious environment, similar to other dystopian stories such as "The Hunger Games" and "Lord of Flies."
Introduction
Plot Summary
Impressive scnes
Review
My thoughts
Introduction
Adapted from James Dashner's acclaimed novel, "The Maze Runner" is a gripping tale that unfolds within a labyrinthine maze, where memory loss and a mysterious society challenge the protagonists' survival instincts. Imagine waking up in an unfamiliar place, not knowing who you are or how you got there. That's precisely how this film begins.
The narrative delves into themes of forced relocation, the formation of societal structures amidst adversity, and the conflicts that arise within the group dynamics. With its compelling storyline, "The Maze Runner" evokes a sense of intrigue akin to that of "Lord of the Flies," making it a captivating cinematic experience.
Plot Summary
A boy with no memory finds himself ascending to the surface in an elevator surrounded by crates bearing the word 'W.C.K.D.' He's immediately greeted by a group of boys, welcoming him as a newcomer. Galley rushes him out, claiming it's his first day. Upon setting foot on the surface, the newcomer attempts to flee but is met with the sight of massive walls enclosing a maze-like structure known as the Glade.
Alby, the leader of the Gladers, approaches the bewildered newcomer, explaining the dynamics of the Glade and introducing Newt as the leader in his absence.
As the night falls, a welcoming party is held, and Newt explains to the newcomer about the maze that changes every night, the runners who navigate it, and the Grievers that inhabit it. Intrigued, the newcomer asks how one becomes a runner. Amidst persuasion from his surroundings, he engages in a wrestling match with Gally and, upon falling, remembers his name—Thomas.
On the second day, Thomas awakens from a dream hearing someone say that W.C.K.D. is doing good things. Alby wakes him up and leads him to the wall, where he's instructed to carve his name. While fetching fertilizer in the woods, Thomas encounters Ben, who blames him for everything and attempts to attack him, only to fail and get stung by a Griever, revealing he's infected with an unknown illness. Ben is banished beyond the maze's walls before sunset.
On the third day, Alby and Minho venture into the maze to investigate what happened. As they fail to return by nightfall, tension mounts among the Gladers. Unable to bear the wait, Thomas urges Newt to search, but Gally insists they wait for their return. As the doors begin to close, Thomas rushes into the maze just in time.
In the ensuing night, Minho tries to outsmart the Grievers using the maze's changing pattern, while Thomas lures them into closing passages, successfully killing a Griever for the first time.
On the fourth morning, disappointed Gladers turn away from the maze's door, but Thomas and Minho return with Alby supported by Minho. Everyone, except Gally, welcomes them back. During a meeting to discuss Thomas's punishment for breaking the rules, an unexpected lift arrives, revealing a seemingly unconscious girl holding a note stating she's the last one.
Thomas, Minho, Zart, Jeff, and Frypan acquire a terminal marked with the number 7 from the Griever's corpse. Despite Thomas's achievements, Gally demands punishment for breaking the rules, stating that luck is the only reason for his success. Newt, acting as the leader in Alby's absence, punishes Thomas with a night in the Pit without food for his transgression but also allows him to become a Runner without sanctions, enabling him to explore the maze freely. Minho, now an official Runner, shows Thomas the maze map and reveals the secret that there is no exit from the maze and the changing patterns.
As other Gladers spread the news of the awakened girl, Thomas engages in a conversation with her. The girl introduces herself as Teresa and shows him two syringes, suggesting they might contain Alby's cure.
On the fifth day, Minho takes Thomas into the maze when the doors open. They discover a previously inaccessible Griever-only entrance at a certain point while chasing the terminal's audio signal. As the maze begins to change rapidly, they hurry back.
Meanwhile, Alby regains consciousness and recovers some lost memories, revealing to Thomas some crucial information about WCKD's favoritism towards him and questioning why he came to the Glade. Suddenly, all the doors open, and Grievers invade, causing chaos. Alby sacrifices himself, and after the Griever attack subsides, Gally blames Thomas for the destruction and urges him to find his memories. Shocked, Thomas stabs himself with the Griever's stinger, surprising Teresa, who asks for the remaining syringe as Thomas loses consciousness.
On the sixth day, Thomas wakes up in the Pit, regaining his lost memories. He explains the truth to Teresa, Newt, Minho, and Chuck. Thomas and Teresa reveal they were part of WCKD, and the Glade was an experiment. They came to rescue the Gladers, who were sent to the Glade once a month for the experiment. Gally, now the leader, erases Alby's and others' names, blaming Thomas as the source of evil. However, Thomas, pretending to be unconscious, leads a surprise attack with his comrades to turn the tables. He persuades the Gladers, including Gally, to venture into the maze for escape. Except for those who agree with Gally, the Gladers follow Thomas and Minho. Despite sacrifices, they manage to escape the maze by entering the secret code, deducing the changing patterns, and dodging the Grievers guarding the exit.
After escaping the maze, the group of ten Gladers arrives in a strange corridor. As they walk along the corridor, they enter a room where a woman appears, introducing herself as Dr. Ava Paige and stating that they have passed the Killzone Test. She explains the reason for conducting this test, showing a video explaining the process of developing a vaccine for the Flare virus, which emerged after the Earth was scorched by the sun. Over time, a generation with immunity to the virus was born, and WCKD conducted experiments to study the differences between them and ordinary people to develop a vaccine. However, due to the slow progress of waiting for the generation and the inhumane treatment of adolescents, there was much opposition, leading to armed conflict. As Dr. Paige speaks, a military force raids the facility, causing chaos. She insists that WCKD is doing good work and commits suicide with a gun. Suddenly, a passage leading to the opposite door opens on one side of the wall.
As Thomas and his group attempt to leave, they encounter Gally. Chuck and Gally die, and men in military attire force Thomas and the survivors out and onto a helicopter for evacuation. The survivors aboard the helicopter look down in despair at the entire maze, which they could not overcome for three years. The maze wall reads "WICKED-A Site."
Dr. Paige, appearing unharmed and wiping fake blood off her, gathers WCKD executives and remarks that although there were many survivors, the more, the better, as they all took the bait as planned. She announces the transition to Phase 2 of the experiment as the helicopter flies over the desolate city and desert, concluding the film.
Impressive scnes
This movie constantly arouses curiosity and intrigue with its setting and world-building, making every scene memorable as it unfolds clues and nuances for viewers to ponder throughout. Therefore, rather than singling out specific memorable scenes, let's explore the key aspects of enjoying this film.
Firstly, the enigmatic space of "The Glade" stands out. It serves as the only sanctuary for those who have their memories erased and are sent to a giant maze every 30 days, providing them with supplies and necessities. The first arrivals establish a society and enact laws to survive in this massive maze.
The three cardinal rules in "The Glade" dictate that individuals must fulfill their assigned tasks, refrain from harming others, and never venture beyond the maze's confines. The mysterious setting of "The Glade" and its governing laws constantly pique curiosity and drive the intriguing storyline forward.
Secondly, the sprawling, living maze itself is a standout element. Its immense scale, unlike anything seen before in cinema, creates an intense atmosphere and tension. The maze, covered in creeping vines, exudes an eerie ambiance, and the sudden transformation of its walls into menacing blades keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Lastly, the relentless survival action of the protagonists adds excitement and suspense. From Thomas's desperate sprint through narrowing corridors to the moment they encounter the impassable walls of the maze, relentlessly pursued by the ominous "Grievers," the film keeps viewers on high alert from the moment the protagonists enter the maze.
Review
Personally, this is a genre I enjoy. It deals with the journey of people trapped in mysterious places, trying to uncover the reasons behind their captivity. From the setting and world-building, it's intriguing. While children are the main characters and there are no big-name stars, it was more thrilling than any other movie, filled with adrenaline-pumping action scenes as they explore the maze.
The title "Maze Runner" focuses more on the "Runner" aspect than the maze itself. It might have been slightly disappointing if there were more elaborate puzzles or hidden tricks to solve within the maze. Nevertheless, focusing on the trials faced by the protagonist and their group, and the meaning behind overcoming them, along with the presented world-building, makes it a quite enjoyable film.
Moreover, it was particularly pleasing to see a Korean character, Minho, as the leader. It made me feel proud to see the prominence of Koreans in such a role. Typically, East Asian characters are predominantly portrayed as Japanese or Chinese, if included at all, so having Minho as a central figure was refreshing.
This movie is based on a separate novel, and usually, films adapted from novels tend to fare well due to the solid foundation of the basic story. However, if not handled properly, they may face criticism from fans for not living up to expectations. Nonetheless, this adaptation seems to have been done fairly well.
In novels, characters' thoughts and emotions can be directly expressed, making it easier for readers to empathize with their relationships, conflicts, and the protagonist's psyche. However, in movies, emotional expression often needs to be conveyed without dialogue, relying heavily on the director's creativity. Nevertheless, the portrayal of characters' emotions may not be as deep as in books. How this is expressed largely depends on the director's interpretation.
In "Maze Runner," instead of directly expressing the protagonist's emotional state through the character, it amplifies the relationships between characters and the situations they face to evoke the protagonist's feelings of stability or anxiety directly in the audience. What particularly appealed to me was the editing, seamlessly blending scenes for understanding the current situation or explanation with action scenes, satisfying both story and action aspects. From the beginning, it stimulates curiosity and maintains intrigue until the final credits. Even after the curtain falls, it continues to provoke various interpretations.
If you've seen the movie, you'd eagerly anticipate its sequels, and indeed, "The Scorch Trials" and "The Death Cure" have already been produced. While the sequels may not match the original, they are still worth watching.
My Thoughts
The movie, dealing with a story set in an enclosed space, draws comparisons to "The Hunger Games," and also to the novel "Lord of the Flies," as it showcases a community created by young people. Personally, I think it's closer to "Lord of the Flies" than "The Hunger Games." The idea of a community without adults and the selection of representatives to lead the community are similar between the two. Watching the movie, I felt it drew a lot of inspiration from "Lord of the Flies." In both works, the maze represents an obstacle or challenge for the characters, and they become so accustomed to their community that they forget the need to escape.
