Movie Monday: The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2)
Directed by: Wes Ball
Based on: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Main Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Ki-Hong Lee,
Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sanger,
Rosa Salazar, Giancarlo Esposito
Release Date: September 18, 2015
Genres: Dystopian, Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Summary: After having escaped the Maze, the Gladers now face a new set of challenges on the open roads of a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles.
Years ago, I read the whole Maze Runner series, and I’m not sure how I accomplished that because I simply did not like any of it. The first novel was tolerable. The second I skimmed through the last half; the third, I definitely rushed through. I read all of them so I can know what happened to the characters. And in the end, I was not pleased.
I know the TMR (The Maze Runner) series has a large fan base, and I am not a part of that. TMR was just not my cup of tea; I couldn’t connect to any characters or what they were going through. I can’t remember everything that made me dislike the book, but I do remember the characters being so flat and dry. To me, Thomas, the protagonist, had barely a personality. And in my opinion, the other characters weren’t so better off than he. What I also remember was that the plot just didn’t make sense to me. For instance, many of WCKED’s experiments and big plans just did not feel realistically designed at all.
I am not a fan of the books, but I am now a huge fan of the movie franchise. I watched the first TMR movie and enjoyed it. Then Duchess D and I returned to the theatres again for TST (The Scorch Trials). And my only wish was that it was longer! There were many changes from the pages to the big screen, and I was fine with that, because as part of the audience, the characters—especially Thomas—made much more sense to me. The action and the plot made complete sense to me. I won’t dare spoil anything, but the movie crew did a wonderful job of deciding what would stay in the movie and how the smallest of scenes in the beginning made the foundation of the ending scenes.
Each role was casted very well. Not only did they fit the character they played, but they acted so well. Dylan O’Brien impressed me with the range of emotions he could channel and how much effort he really puts in to make the character believable. The supporting cast brought an even stronger performance than they did in TMR. New cast members didn't feel random; they slithered easily into the group dynamic. Shout out to my favorite character, Brenda!
TST was an action-packed adventure. There was no moment to rest, which I loved. Everything was so suspenseful and I had clue what was to come next. It had bits of a horror movie which heightened the tension amongst the characters. TST is definitely not a comedy or a romance. If you love action and horror and a bit of everything else, you must watch this movie!
P.S. Great news that Wes Ball is returning to direct the final movie! There’s no doubt about that he will end the franchise the right way. Super bad news is that The Death Cure won’t be released until 2017…. Let the impatient waiting begin!
