Critics Rating: 3 Stars*

Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Ki-Hong Lee, Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sansgter, Kaya Scodelario

Direction: Wes Ball

Produced: Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Lee Stollman

Written: Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, T.S. Nowlin

Genre: Mystery

Duration: 1 hour 54 minutes 

 The title obviously leaves nothing to the imagination. Still, for someone who went in with zero expectations, The Maze Runner turned out to be one of the better Young Adult forays of the year, despite a relatively unknown cast. It may look like a combination of The Hunger Games, the maze trial from The Goblet of Fire with a dash of The Lord of the Flies at first glance, but it takes these potentially crippling elements and springboards into engrossing action.

The main protagonist, nameless at first, is hoisted into open ground by an elevator where he finds a settlement of adolescent boys, living within the circumference of a maze, known as The Glade. The group members who desperately try to map patterns through the ever-changing, deceptive monolithic walls are called the runners, lead by Minho (Ki-Hong Lee). The hero – Thomas – is no less eager to escape and certainly more curious than the rest of the group on what lies beyond their confines. Unfortunately, his inquisitiveness earns him the ire of Gally (Will Poulter), who is convinced in more ways than one that Thomas is up to no good.

This sci-fi outing is based on James Dashner’s novel of the same name, though this reviewer is not qualified to argue the merits/demerits of the big screen adaptation. It is up for the readers to decide how faithful this film remains to the source material, but for the uninitiated reader, The Maze Runner does not leave major questions unanswered.

The story takes a while to kick-off, not for lack of pace but because of an intentional build-up into what lies ahead for the characters. There is only the limitation of surroundings at first, but expands as the protagonists get more adventurous with their explorations.

If there is a labyrinth, myths and legends demand that they be inhabited with monsters. Those heart-thumping chases are the high-point of the film. By the time you get to the end, the inevitable sequel is implied, which ends on an interesting enough note to make you anticipate the follow-up.

Newbie director Wes Ball does an impressive job of breaking the dystopian mould that is being overdone in recent times. However, it will come as no surprise if you have seen his CGI short film called Ruin, which boasts of solid visual style. If he is retained for the sequels to The Maze Runner franchise, one can only be hopeful of another interesting series to name alongside the reigning succession of The Hunger Games.

It may not be the most outstanding film to have released, nor laden with the social commentary and subtext of The Giver and The Hunger Games. But sometimes, it is enough to have a young cast headlining an entertainer that packs a punch. Expect not the world and The Maze Runner serves as good popcorn fare.