Maze Runner: The Death Cure Film Review

Maze Runner: The Death Cure is the final installment, in the series and despite a rough production is finally being released. But does it conclude the series well? Our Jordan Samuel delves into the release.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure Film Review

Dir: Wes Ball; Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Walton Goggins, Ki Hong Lee, Barry Pepper, Will Poulter and Patricia Clarkson. 12A cert, 142 mins.

The Maze Runner was released when Hollywood started to aggressively push for dystopian sci-fi films, based on favorite young adult novels, with The Hunger Games and Divergent leading the pack. These films all share much in common, focusing on corrupt leaders and bringing peace in messed up neighborhoods. However, as the Hunger Games series came to a close and Divergent failed to get a conclusion, The Maze Runner was set to conclude last year - but a freak accident on set with Dylan O'Brien delayed it until the new year.

The Death Cure's production delay has impacted the marketing campaign, with anticipation reigning in the process. While eyes are on other young adults IP's, it has been proven these franchises can be reshaped and taken into new directions. Wes Ball has so much to show in his final installment of the Maze Runner film series, providing interest for fans who have moved on and concluding the trilogy on a good note. But, with all the buzz surrounding Dylan O'Brien's accident, are the results worth it? And can Maze Runner: The Death Cure survive this rough journey onto the big screen?

20th Century FOX

Thomas leads some escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions that the Gladers have been asking since they arrived in the maze.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure focuses on the self-titled WCKD corporation, and their push for a haven away from those infected with the Flare virus. While the city outskirts are filled with Cranks, individuals who haven't descended into madness from contacting the virus. Thomas and his allies visit old friends, to rescue Minho but these plans lie on trusting Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) who betrayed them before in The Scorch Trials. An individual working with WCKD's, Janson (Aidan Gillen) to find a cure to save all humanity from the Flare virus. It's up to Thomas in his fight to destroy WCKD and their evil ways, with higher stakes involved.

Wes Ball and the screenwriters, somehow make the final chapter work tonally and thematically, keeping it in tone with the previous iterations. The pacing is brilliant and works in the film's chase for a more action-driven adventure, the breakneck pace allows for less time focusing on the already cliche storyline. All these changes to bring a new set of problems to the table, with dramatic moments relying heavily on prior knowledge to the last installment. Lacking a needed punch, and throwing away all the tension seen in The Scorch Trials.

The story of Maze Runner: The Death Cure is quite a simple one with generic rescue missions, serving as the backdrop for a WCKD uprising with a disposable set of characters who don't push forward. The movie lacks true stakes and doesn't dive into the conflict between Thomas and WCKD, Instead, focuses on elements set up in previous titles and pushing merely appalling worldbuilding down the audience throats. Villan motivations have no real weight to them, with both Janson and Ava Page being evil for the stories sake instead of having problems with our protagonist.

20th Century FOX

The film explores several themes including what humans, will do to survive and what life means to so many humans, a trait seen in other dystopian series. But, The Death Cure doesn't give enough love to these ideas and just ends up throwing away elements what made the genre so appealing in the first place. Thomas wants to save humanity, and defeat the poisonous WCKD, regardless of the risk involved in trying to keep his people. While, Janson and Ava are pushing for ways to justify, the end of a select region of their city.

Teresa is the only character given more depth, rather than the generic "evil" WCKD employees and leaders; she is given a decent redemption arc which sadly ends in generic fashion. The Death Cure is a perfect example, of not being able to adapt its excellent ideas on screen successfully. Getting bogged down in overcomplicated issues seen in its futuristic world - and never thoroughly explains the reasons behind the cancerous society.

Young cast members in bring some needed heart into the film, with O'Brien delivering a charismatic and robust action hero but lacks the emotional weight due to his friends not being fleshed out. We care about Thomas, despite these shortcomings. Supporting cast members Brodie-Sangster, Scodelario, Salazar, and Lee all round out with decent performances, while Gillen delivers a solid villain. I wanted so much more out of the characters, but the acting is not a significant issue.

The Death Cure is a decent conclusion to the Maze Runner trilogy of films, and will please fans of its book series but brings nothing new to the table for anyone else. There, is some great action with some decent dialogue but the two-hour runtime feels mashed together instead of being a flowing adventure. It doesn't reinvent the genre or push it forward, instead just pushes the YA-based sci-fi films into a grey area.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure might not set the world on fire, but did you enjoy it? Are you happy with the conclusion? Let us know in the comment section below.