Maze Runner

Plot: Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) wakes up in a freight elevator in amnesia. He is in a walled garden that is in the center of a maze.  The other young men have been for years. They don't know why they are there, and every night monsters eat anyone still in the maze. Thomas helps them solve the puzzle of the maze, and set up the sequel. [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Maze Runner is a light-weight horror movie with an over-designed plot that is typical of video games. My biggest problem was the artificialness of the plot which was not only artificial in set-up but kept on getting simpler and less clever (i.e. dumber). There is not any humor and little satire. It is a pretty dumb horror with a post-apocylpse vibe.

Thomas is an interesting character, but everyone else was a blank. I would not mind seeing Dylan O'Brien again.

The movie is dreary with many shots of blank walls. The action scenes are the best part, but the animation of the monsters is only OK. 

Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Ami Ameen, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario

Directed by: Wes Ball, who has never made a full length film before.

Based on the novel by: James Dasher, a four book series.

Rating: 1.5 stars: Not recommended. Might be OK if it were on free TV.

More: It was interesting that when a girl (!) shows up in the movie; the guys just leave her alone. No harassment, no romance, no flirting, and certainly no sex. Seems like the script was written for younger actors than the 21-23 year olds that were cast.