It's rare for a big movie studio to trust the future of a potential blockbuster franchise to a brand-new director. You'd imagine that there would be just too much at stake when it came to translating James Dashner's series of best-selling dystopian novels to the silver screen. But it's easy to see why Wes Ball got the job - with this one film, he graduates from short films to blockbuster movies with flair to spare. Indeed, The Maze Runner is such a cool, confident and thrilling blend of action beats and character work that it's hard to believe Ball has never before commandeered a full- length feature film. It's true that the narrative gets a little away from him by the end, making less sense as more secrets are revealed. But this is more a problem with the source material than Ball's own skills as a director. sicario putlocker
Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) finds himself thrust rudely into the world of the Glade: a community of boys who have figured out how to live while encircled by a giant, constantly changing maze, within which dwell giant, boy-eating monsters known only as Grievers. Many of the boys, including benevolent pioneer Alby (Aml Ameen) and champion of the old ways Gally (Will Poulter), are content with just surviving day to day. Thomas winds up unsettling the entire camp with his refusal to follow the rules and determination to ask questions: he wants to explore the Maze with designated runners like Minho (Ki Hong Lee), and figure out a way to get free. Life in the camp gets more complicated when, weeks before the next boy is due to be sent up to the Glade, a girl in the form of Theresa (Kaya Scodelario) arrives instead.
There's a lot of blockbuster potential to be squeezed out of this premise, and Ball does so quite wonderfully. The Maze encircling the Glade is a stonily grey, massive enclosure, and the Grievers - when the boys encounter them in increasingly close quarters - are odd marvels made as much of machine as flesh. Ball cuts scenes of great, heart-stopping tension together masterfully: whether it's Thomas running through walls that are fast closing in on him, or Thomas and Minho trying to outrun a Griever while burdened with an unconscious Alby.
The film even finds some welcome dramatic depth in this strange little community of lost boys in the Glade - Thomas' growing antagonism with Gally is balanced against the mutual respect he and Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) develop for each other, and the brotherly connection that he forges with the adorable Chuck (Blake Cooper). The politics of the situation is fascinating as well: as much as The Maze Runner is about, well, running for your life in a giant maze, it also raises big questions about identity and integrity. Is safety and security worth giving up your right to information and choice?
What works less well is the secret around which the Glade is constructed. As viewers, we aren't given a whole lot of answers about why the Glade and the Maze exists, nor do we get many explanations as to why Thomas is so different and insatiably curious. But the ones we do get - all centred around the mysterious, severe figure of Ava Paige (Patricia Clarkson) in some kind of control centre - oddly render the film and its characters less, rather than more, interesting. It's a strangely deflating experience to have the film's rich ethical dilemmas and intense action sequences give way to an underlying dystopian narrative that isn't really all that compelling.
Nevertheless, The Maze Runner remains quite an accomplishment. It's an assured, impressive debut for Ball, one with enough electric tension and moody drama to intrigue throughout its running time. His young cast is fully capable of carrying their own weight, with Poulter - morphing from comic sidekick in We're The Millers into hateful adversary here - the standout. Its story collapses a little into itself as it hurtles towards its climax, but Ball's work is quite enough to leave viewers excited by the prospect of the inevitable sequel.
Although the setup is mildly engaging, The Maze Runner fails to satisfy
joeravioli
The Maze Runner is definitely not the worst teenage-directed dystopian flick out there (I believe that Divergent has that one locked down), but it is definitely not the best, either. Its setup is interesting and builds adequate suspense to keep us watching with slightly interested eyes, but it falls apart with its repeated, clichéd, TV drama like dialogue. It serves to forward the plot, but often tends to show little of anything, really. And it happens a lot. Most of the film is spent talking, mostly about the maze as a sacred, untouchable thing that no one should go into under the consequence of death by the monsters that lurk within the maze. The action, when it happens, is fun, but it doesn't happen often enough.
The film follows a boy named Thomas who is cast into a mini society put together by a group of boys that live in the center of a maze, in a place they call the Glade. Every month, an elevator comes out of the ground with food and a new boy. No one can remember anything before they came into the Glade, although Thomas has visions of symbols and people in his dreams. No one is allowed past the doors that mark the entrance to the Maze except the Runners, a designated group of kids who map the maze in order to attempt to find a way out. The doors close at night and open in the morning. Alby, the group leader, warns Thomas, "No one survives a night in the maze." Of course, Thomas is curious about the maze.
The Maze Runner follows what I like to call "The Avalanche Framework". A person or event disrupts the quiet structure of a strict society, causing it to spiral out of control, inciting absolute panic and chaos within its "walls". Events snowball together into a massive avalanche that destroys everything that the people who created the society ever worked for. It is usually an enjoyable film to watch, and the endings are usually satisfying. The Maze Runner lacks a satisfying ending (It is random and senseless), but it is enjoyable to a certain, very small extent. It holds you by the tips of your toes, never gripping your eyes to the screen or pulling you to the edge of your seat. There is barely anything to make you want to keep watching.
The Maze Runner is surprisingly dark. That is probably the best thing it has going for it. It is more gory and frightening than most teenage movies (although this may not be a good thing), and the helplessness of the whole situation is a feeling uncommon as well to these types of films.
It is a reasonable film, bordering between good and bad. Me being me, I give it the benefit of the doubt. watch hostiles online free
Compromises
Mek Torres
The appeal of the The Maze Runner for its billion dollar genre is how straightforward everything it seems. It (thankfully) doesn't begin with a voice-over narration, because indeed it's another high concept that designs a world as a mind-bending game. The film already faults for spilling too much rules and details, but when things starts actually moving, the action becomes marvelous, with large scaled, suspense driven set pieces that easily makes it worth the price admission. The worst of it however is when it finally unfolds all of the hidden secrets, compromising much of the potential of this ride. Still, it's pretty hard to deny the excitement of the experience alone. Treating it as another solid action film might be enough for a while.
Things are stronger at the first act when the hero is just picking up information even though the people around him are basically just over-explaining stuff rather than developing their characters. But it's great when it keeps the plot moving from one place to another. Once they get into the maze, the momentum becomes a heartbeat. It works like a certain video game that has its heroes risk through various obstacles, brimmed by conspicuous fortitude. It is a great example of a real action film that relies more on the matter of life and death thrills, even if you're already surrounded by nice production and special effects. There's also an hint of social analogy to fit the genre's trend of playing with politics, except the one here seems simple and intriguing to figure out what it is trying to pinpoint. Everything else is just more scattered clues for the mystery.
But all of those growth suddenly gets bogged down once it hits to their biggest answers. It's obviously setting up for another young adult franchise, but it also hurts to whatever it has put together. At this point, it feels like we're left hanging with more questions, except it's much nonsensical. To be fair after this large disappointment, we're still given a totally fun cinematic experience. The direction is so energetic at its tension, it almost seems to have inspiration some of the greatest horror movie aesthetics and tricks: the ooze, the meat, the traps, the dark walls, and the singular angled chase scenes with the enemy coming closer to the hero. Those are some of its remarkable, well-shot bits that you don't always see in this dull genre. The acting is also good for outweighing what's written for the characters. Dylan O'Brien looks like a hero to root for and he does a fine job for it. Will Poulter also shines as his reasonably arrogant opposite.
The best thing The Maze Runner could offer is the maze itself, though those spectacle couldn't help us ignore the final minutes of the film, but it still overpowers the overall experience. Personally, I would rather look forward more on a video-game adaptation (if it's even possible) than the sequels, but I don't know. It's pretty hard to see where this story is going. It instantly compromises some larger picture beneath the surfaces.for the sake of being another million dollar franchise, but this one has a direction of its own, despite that their destiny seems to lack the freshness. The cleverly constructed action just adds the value, otherwise. interstellar 123movies
There's a lot of blockbuster potential to be squeezed out of this premise, and Ball does so quite wonderfully. The Maze encircling the Glade is a stonily grey, massive enclosure, and the Grievers - when the boys encounter them in increasingly close quarters - are odd marvels made as much of machine as flesh. Ball cuts scenes of great, heart-stopping tension together masterfully: whether it's Thomas running through walls that are fast closing in on him, or Thomas and Minho trying to outrun a Griever while burdened with an unconscious Alby.
The film even finds some welcome dramatic depth in this strange little community of lost boys in the Glade - Thomas' growing antagonism with Gally is balanced against the mutual respect he and Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) develop for each other, and the brotherly connection that he forges with the adorable Chuck (Blake Cooper). The politics of the situation is fascinating as well: as much as The Maze Runner is about, well, running for your life in a giant maze, it also raises big questions about identity and integrity. Is safety and security worth giving up your right to information and choice?
What works less well is the secret around which the Glade is constructed. As viewers, we aren't given a whole lot of answers about why the Glade and the Maze exists, nor do we get many explanations as to why Thomas is so different and insatiably curious. But the ones we do get - all centred around the mysterious, severe figure of Ava Paige (Patricia Clarkson) in some kind of control centre - oddly render the film and its characters less, rather than more, interesting. It's a strangely deflating experience to have the film's rich ethical dilemmas and intense action sequences give way to an underlying dystopian narrative that isn't really all that compelling.
Nevertheless, The Maze Runner remains quite an accomplishment. It's an assured, impressive debut for Ball, one with enough electric tension and moody drama to intrigue throughout its running time. His young cast is fully capable of carrying their own weight, with Poulter - morphing from comic sidekick in We're The Millers into hateful adversary here - the standout. Its story collapses a little into itself as it hurtles towards its climax, but Ball's work is quite enough to leave viewers excited by the prospect of the inevitable sequel.
Although the setup is mildly engaging, The Maze Runner fails to satisfy
joeravioli
The Maze Runner is definitely not the worst teenage-directed dystopian flick out there (I believe that Divergent has that one locked down), but it is definitely not the best, either. Its setup is interesting and builds adequate suspense to keep us watching with slightly interested eyes, but it falls apart with its repeated, clichéd, TV drama like dialogue. It serves to forward the plot, but often tends to show little of anything, really. And it happens a lot. Most of the film is spent talking, mostly about the maze as a sacred, untouchable thing that no one should go into under the consequence of death by the monsters that lurk within the maze. The action, when it happens, is fun, but it doesn't happen often enough.
The Maze Runner follows what I like to call "The Avalanche Framework". A person or event disrupts the quiet structure of a strict society, causing it to spiral out of control, inciting absolute panic and chaos within its "walls". Events snowball together into a massive avalanche that destroys everything that the people who created the society ever worked for. It is usually an enjoyable film to watch, and the endings are usually satisfying. The Maze Runner lacks a satisfying ending (It is random and senseless), but it is enjoyable to a certain, very small extent. It holds you by the tips of your toes, never gripping your eyes to the screen or pulling you to the edge of your seat. There is barely anything to make you want to keep watching.
The Maze Runner is surprisingly dark. That is probably the best thing it has going for it. It is more gory and frightening than most teenage movies (although this may not be a good thing), and the helplessness of the whole situation is a feeling uncommon as well to these types of films.
It is a reasonable film, bordering between good and bad. Me being me, I give it the benefit of the doubt. watch hostiles online free
Compromises
Mek Torres
The appeal of the The Maze Runner for its billion dollar genre is how straightforward everything it seems. It (thankfully) doesn't begin with a voice-over narration, because indeed it's another high concept that designs a world as a mind-bending game. The film already faults for spilling too much rules and details, but when things starts actually moving, the action becomes marvelous, with large scaled, suspense driven set pieces that easily makes it worth the price admission. The worst of it however is when it finally unfolds all of the hidden secrets, compromising much of the potential of this ride. Still, it's pretty hard to deny the excitement of the experience alone. Treating it as another solid action film might be enough for a while.
Things are stronger at the first act when the hero is just picking up information even though the people around him are basically just over-explaining stuff rather than developing their characters. But it's great when it keeps the plot moving from one place to another. Once they get into the maze, the momentum becomes a heartbeat. It works like a certain video game that has its heroes risk through various obstacles, brimmed by conspicuous fortitude. It is a great example of a real action film that relies more on the matter of life and death thrills, even if you're already surrounded by nice production and special effects. There's also an hint of social analogy to fit the genre's trend of playing with politics, except the one here seems simple and intriguing to figure out what it is trying to pinpoint. Everything else is just more scattered clues for the mystery.
But all of those growth suddenly gets bogged down once it hits to their biggest answers. It's obviously setting up for another young adult franchise, but it also hurts to whatever it has put together. At this point, it feels like we're left hanging with more questions, except it's much nonsensical. To be fair after this large disappointment, we're still given a totally fun cinematic experience. The direction is so energetic at its tension, it almost seems to have inspiration some of the greatest horror movie aesthetics and tricks: the ooze, the meat, the traps, the dark walls, and the singular angled chase scenes with the enemy coming closer to the hero. Those are some of its remarkable, well-shot bits that you don't always see in this dull genre. The acting is also good for outweighing what's written for the characters. Dylan O'Brien looks like a hero to root for and he does a fine job for it. Will Poulter also shines as his reasonably arrogant opposite.
The best thing The Maze Runner could offer is the maze itself, though those spectacle couldn't help us ignore the final minutes of the film, but it still overpowers the overall experience. Personally, I would rather look forward more on a video-game adaptation (if it's even possible) than the sequels, but I don't know. It's pretty hard to see where this story is going. It instantly compromises some larger picture beneath the surfaces.for the sake of being another million dollar franchise, but this one has a direction of its own, despite that their destiny seems to lack the freshness. The cleverly constructed action just adds the value, otherwise. interstellar 123movies
Nhận xét
Đăng nhận xét