Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape.
Leaner and grittier than similar YA fare, The Maze Runner is set to act as a calling card for its emerging director and cast. Amassing tension ahead of a solid pay-off, it’ll leave you hungry for the next installment.
It’s a well-made adventure with great energy and considerable style, but it’s essentially a maze without an exit.
You might wonder how the chaps coped in a female-free environment before the arrival of Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), but director Wes Ball’s mild entertainment is more interested in plodding towards a hopeful sequel than venturing into that minefield.
he Maze Runner moves at a reasonably enjoyable pace, taking us from CGI-heavy set-piece to set-piece and only occasionally stumbling.
Utter garbage. The kids will love it.
Celibate chiselled YAs in awful future dystopia battle to prove they are exceptional and divergent. Again.
An engaging slice of young adult sci-fi.
The glitch is the absurdity of the premise and the weakness of the characterisation.
If you can forgive the disappointing ending then The Maze Runner is a pretty decent, well-paced adaptation of the teen apocalypse novel by James Dashner.
Poor dialogue is redeemed by fine action sequences in this latest addition to the young adult dystopian thriller genre.
It may seem a world away from traditional teen dramas but the themes are much the same: alienation, identity, a yearning to break free. As a metaphor for the traumas of adolescence the story is cleverly conceived and has a raw, powerful simplicity.
Verdict: More young adult dystopia.
General release. Check local listings for show times.