Nowadays, people talk about superhero, and especially Marvel, fatigue due to the overabundance of superhero blockbusters that appear throughout the year. However, I think that YA franchises have almost been given a free pass. For those of you who don't know, a YA movie (which stands for "young adult") is a film typically based on a book where the main actors tend to be teenagers and have to go through a journey in a realistic or, more likely, a fantasy setting. Harry Potter was the primary YA franchise for a number of years, not having a lot of real competition for the top slot. In 2015, though, the list is considerably longer, with Divergent, the Hunger Games, an endless list of Nicholas Sparks novels, and the Maze Runner series all competing for the pocket money of teenagers. With so much to choose from, these movies need to shake up the formula and add new elements with every installment. The original Maze Runner seemed to do this, placing a small group inside a confined space and adding tense action, making it seemingly distinct from the grand affairs of other movies in this genre. Unfortunately, the sequel takes certain steps that seem to suggest that the series could fall into the stereotypes that have come before.
As I previously mentioned, what made the original Maze Runner special was its confined environment within the maze with a relatively small cast. It's clear then with the sequel that both the writer and the director wished to give this follow-up an entirely different feel to it, setting it in a post-apocalyptic desert, the titular Scorch. However, there is little done to differentiate this world from every other disaster or action movie you have seen a hundred times before. The story of course follows the group from the original as the attempt to escape from the villainous W.C.K.D. (seriously, the evil organisation's name is pronounced "wicked"). Although initially intriguing in the first half, the plot soon becomes plagued by a few problems. The second half of the movie is relatively slow compared to the fast-paced, action-packed opening. The second issue that I found involved the ending (don't worry, no spoilers here). Now, not everyone will agree with me here, but there were no less than 3 points where I thought the movie had ended and I was ready to leave but it kept going. It almost felt like there were several points where draft scripts had ended but the studio wanted more to be added on.
However, these are only small gripes. A primary issue with the movie is that it raised more questions than it actually answered. Why were they in the maze in the first place? How did the disease that has ravaged the future start? These are questions from the first movie, not even the things that puzzled me after this movie. It is obvious that Fox wanted as little to be addressed as possible so as to ensure that people will still come back to see the third film, currently slated for release in February, 2017.
The performances of the actors in the original Maze Runner were great and, for the most part, they carry over into this film. Although some actors do not do a good job at all (watch out for a hilarious Alan Tudyk performance as Marcus), the lead actors do succeed. Although it is Dylan O'Brien's Thomas who is meant to be the star of the movie, it is the supporting cast who are members of the group who are the stand-outs, such as Ki Hong Lee's Minho. These characters receive significantly more character development, and convey the emotion they are feeling very well. The reason I mention these actors rather than the main stars is that, apart from a quick scene showing how he came to meet W.C.K.D, the character of Thomas receives very little development over the course of the film, leaving the actor with very little opportunity to show off.
Although the primary cast are generally well written and likable, where the film suffers is in its secondary characters that appear while the group is travelling. These characters are very typical of any apocalypse movie: the rebellious henchman? Check. The gang leader who actually isn't a bad guy unlike his crew? Got that. Generic head of security chasing our heroes? Done. These are the kind of stereotypes that make appearances over the course of the film. They are not all badly written or acted (although some still are). My issue is the predictability of their arcs in the movie as we have seen them all before.
The movie may have these problems, but it is undoubtedly a visual triumph. Utilising a mix or both practical and computer-generated environments, the set design of the movie is impeccable, particularly in a scene in a shopping mall early on, really immersing the audience in this wasteland. Credit should also be given to the make-up artists who have done stunning work, especially on the zombie-like Cranks roaming the Scorch. Without their frightening and deformed appearance, the chase sequences would not have been as tense or as thrilling as the final result. Easily one of the best images of the film is the group waling into the abandoned wasteland. This is a true show of the capabilities of modern technology in film and any other crew looking to create a desolate city should take note.
I just mentioned various chase sequences throughout the film. These are easily the best and most intense action sequences present, with various types of zombies being revealed as the film goes on (and yes, there are jump scares). However, there are also several conflicts that occur between the heroes and the villains using guns or in fistfights. Despite having literally no directing experience apart from this series, director Wes Ball has done a good job of choreographing these sections of the movie.
"The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" is not a terrible movie by any means, but it's not perfect. Although there are many issues, particularly with the pacing and the new cast members. However. the film does boast great performances for the most part and is a visual spectacle, with action sequences scattered throughout to stop the audience getting bored. I hope the third movie can rectify these issues and bring back the unique factors that set this franchise apart from others in the genre. Don't count on there not being an announcement for the movie being split into two parts, though.
Pros
- Solid performances
- Action sequences
- Visually excellent
Cons
- Slow second half
- Questions STILL unanswered
- Often generic secondary characters
Rating: 6/10
Original Release Date: 14th August, 2015
Directed by Wes Ball
Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Jacob Lofland, Rosa Salazar, Giancarlo Esposito, Aiden Gillen
No comments:
Post a Comment