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Bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to sequels.

“Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” is larger than its predecessor, last year’s “ The Maze Runner ,” in every way: in its cast, scope, set pieces and (unfortunately) length. But “more” also means more convoluted. The mythology in these dystopian young adult novels-turned-films can be dense at times, but “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” crams in more lore, supporting characters, backstories and motivations to the extent that it becomes difficult to get a grasp on anything.

Returning director Wes Ball covers a lot more ground this time, literally and figuratively, in adapting the second novel in author James Dashner ’s “Maze Runner” series. But while his characters are constantly on the run, it feels like they’re never really going anywhere. The script from T.S. Nowlin (who co-wrote the first film in the franchise) has an episodic structure that ultimately makes it feel repetitive. The characters are in one post-apocalyptic bunker, then they’re in another. They’re under the protection of one untrustworthy adult, then another. They’re skulking about an abandoned mall by flashlight, then slinking through a sewer system by flashlight. They walk across the desert by day, trying to survive the heat, then run across it by night, trying to escape lightning strikes.

These adventures might be more intriguing if the characters involved in them had even a smidgen of depth. The hero who emerged at the center of part one, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), remains the quietly courageous leader in part two. He’s the requisite rebel in this YA series, cut from the same cloth as Katniss in “ The Hunger Games ” and Tris in “ Divergent ”; he’s the one who dares to shake up the status quo, challenge a cold, monolithic government known by the not-so-subtle acronym WCKD (i.e. the grown-ups) and start a revolution. He doesn’t develop much of a personality along the way, though, even though we receive clues from his past that he has always been The Chosen One.

His buddies from the Glade don’t fare much better in the characterization department. Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) remains wisecracking and irreverent. Frypan ( Dexter Darden ) is girl-crazy. Teresa ( Kaya Scodelario ), their only female companion, is mysterious and morose. Along with a few others, they all find themselves stuck inside a different kind of compound at the start of the film, which picks up right where “The Maze Runner” left off. They get food and shelter and clean clothes and actual beds at this new place, which sounds like a good deal. But then they—and kids who managed to escape other mazes—gather each night at dinner to find out which of them will be whisked away to a supposedly exciting new home.

Clearly, nothing good is in store for any of these people. That’s obvious simply from the demeanor of the guy who runs the joint, the turtleneck-clad, vaguely accented Janson ( Aidan Gillen ). When Thomas and hoodie-wearing loner Aris ( Jacob Lofland ) do a little middle-of the-night exploring, they stumble upon the nefarious medical experiments scientists are performing on these kids, all in the name of finding a cure for the plague that has ravaged the nation. At least that’s how Patricia Clarkson , as the crisp and efficient doctor Ava Paige, justifies such creepily devious actions. (As in part one, the great Clarkson is sadly underused here; so are fellow supporting players Barry Pepper and Lili Taylor in barely-there supporting roles.)

It’s this discovery that sets Thomas and his friends on their journey to find help and safety, which does feature some tense moments within individual action sequences and some striking imagery. One shot in particular stands out of the kids walking single-file along the top of a sand dune, silhouetted by the sun, then stopping simultaneously and spaced apart perfectly once they hear a gunshot shatter the desert silence.

But other elements feel too obviously derivative of better films. As the teens traipse across the decimated remnants of a once-thriving urban center known as the Scorch, each hill of rubble they crest calls to mind the bombed-out remains of the various districts in “The Hunger Games” series. And a sequence in which they run for their lives from ravenous zombies in an abandoned shopping mall is straight out of “Dawn of the Dead.” (These hideous creatures, known as Cranks, have been infected by the plague; it’s turned them into fast-moving, Danny Boyle-style zombies rather than slow-shuffling George Romero-style zombies, for those of you who like to keep track of these things.)

A far more inspired scene finds Thomas & Co. sneaking into the hidden headquarters of underground leader/mercenary Jorge ( Giancarlo Esposito ) and his feisty daughter figure, Brenda ( Rosa Salazar ). This is by far the most gripping segment of the film, not only because Jorge’s lair is so cool and intricate and Esposito brings such élan to this complicated bad-guy figure, but also because it sets up the only flat-out fun moment you’ll see. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will say that it features inspired use of the Patsy Cline classic “Walkin’ After Midnight .”

The rest of the movie, choked in sand and dust and surrounded by concrete and steel, could have used more bursts of that kind of crazy energy. The self-seriousness of it all becomes suffocating—and there’s only more of it to come. After all, there’s still a third and final book out there, waiting to be made into a movie (if not two).

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials movie poster

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

Rated PG-13 extended sequences of violence and action, some thematic elements, substance use and language

131 minutes

Dylan O'Brien as Thomas

Thomas Brodie Sangster as Newt

Kaya Scodelario as Teresa

Ki Hong Lee as Minho

Giancarlo Esposito as Jorge

Aidan Gillen as Janson

Patricia Clarkson as Ava Paige

Lili Taylor as Mary Cooper

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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Review

Phase two begins..

The story is much lighter this time out, but Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials nevertheless improves upon the first movie. The world is bigger, the stakes are higher and there's a lot more to sink your teeth into. While some of the characters don't really click -- most notably the bad guys -- the visual scope and exploration give the sequel some much-needed breathing room. It's still easy to draw comparisons to other young adult fiction like The Hunger Games and Divergent, but unlike the first Maze Runner, this second installment stands apart.

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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Reviews

Unlike other YA franchises, the basic emotional underpinnings remain vacant in The Maze Runner movies, and the action isn’t good enough to keep our attention.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | May 27, 2022

Scorch Trials does not present any new themes or much character development but it does cement the concepts of truth and freedom that The Maze Runner introduced.

Full Review | Sep 13, 2021

Yes, there are the standard story beats to hit, but Wes Ball doesn't seem interested in simply hitting them and moving on. Instead, he wants to understand why something might happen and what the implications of it are.

Full Review | Jan 15, 2021

It's difficult not to compare this film to the numerous sources from which it clearly derives inspiration - and sometimes uncanny similarities.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Dec 4, 2020

The Maze Runner is like an innocent new born baby and Scorch Trails is a blooming, daring adolescent.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 20, 2020

If you enjoyed the first film it's not necessary that you will enjoy this too.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 12, 2020

Cheesy, trite, and predictable, the sheer breakneck pace and frenetic energy is more than enough to whip the movie along and the result is an entertaining, if a bit overlong, teen-centric action flick.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 3, 2020

As a whole, The Scorch Trials is not a perfect movie. Nor is it a great one. But it is very good, and most of that has to do with director Wes Ball who wrangled derivative, cliched content into a thrilling, emotionally captivating adventure-gasm.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 30, 2019

Out of the frying pan, into the fire - the first film's promise is compromised here by a bloated running time; a transitional movie with lots of running and dust in the face, etc.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 4, 2019

If last year's hit The Maze Runner was the first child in the family - ambitious, concise - bridge film Maze Runner: Scorch Trials is very much the middle sibling in that it is changeable, desperate to please and generally all over the map.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Apr 18, 2019

An excellent sequel. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Feb 15, 2019

I look forward to the next round of scares and thrills.

Full Review | Jan 24, 2019

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials has everything one could ask from the middle of an action-adventure trilogy - it's brisk, it's clever and it's very well-made.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Dec 7, 2018

...a post-apocalyptic Young Adult-oriented narrative...For the second time around it is kind of a tough sell for Scorch Trials to get the obligatory mouse to chase after the cheese in this particular misplaced maze.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 10, 2018

Like the first film, it too often feels like they're making up the story as they go.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Nov 1, 2018

The Scorch Trials too often feels like just another post-apocalyptic worldwide zombie nightmare. But at least it's a mostly entertaining one.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Oct 31, 2018

Better than it has any right to be, this middle chapter doesn't answer nearly enough questions, but is entertaining nonetheless.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 20, 2018

It is a true sequel, a film that cannot exist on its own terms, with nothing new to offer except more of the same.

Full Review | Apr 10, 2018

Wes Ball's sequel to 2014's The Maze Runner never slows down as its heroes sprint through a post-apocalyptic nightmare and keeps tension high at the expense of character development.

Full Review | Feb 7, 2018

The Scorch Trials fares best in its almost shockingly entertaining opening half hour...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jan 18, 2018

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‘maze runner: the scorch trials’: film review.

Patricia Clarkson and Dylan O’Brien return for the second installment of the dystopian franchise.

By Justin Lowe

Justin Lowe

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Wes Ball ’s adaptation of the first book from James Dashner ’s Maze Runner young adult novels, about a group of teens consigned to a mysterious labyrinth, yielded a feature that proved it could compete for the same audience as the Hunger Games and Divergent series. The second installment, which reveals some of the reasons behind the teens’ imprisonment, lacks a similar sense of originality and urgency, undercut by overly familiar characterizations and dilatory pacing.

The conclusion of 2014’s The Maze Runner revealed that the teenagers known as “Gladers” were confined to their maze by the World Catastrophe Killzone Department ( WCKD ), a quasi-governmental security-scientific agency tasked with eradicating a viral plague that has killed off much of the world’s population and transformed many survivors into homicidal, zombielike “Cranks.” Confronting WCKD and exposing its oppressive policies becomes the teens’ primary mission in The Scorch Trials , but this imperative increasingly diverges from the realm of speculative fiction that forms the basis of the book series in favor of an action-adventure format that may not offer the same degree of wide appeal.

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Dylan O'Brien in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials review – more spectacle, less character

With star turns from Aidan Gillen and Lili Taylor, this young-adult sequel wades into the post-apocalyptic battlefield

L ike the second instalment of Divergent – the cast of which you fully expect to meet coming the other way over the brow of the dystopian YA hill – Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials steps up the spectacle, replacing the enclosed mysteries of the first film with apocalyptic vistas and toppling cities through which our former Gladers must battle. Everyone is after their blood, from the sinister WCKD (pronounced “wicked”, to avoid any confusion) to the marauding Cranks, the latter mutated by the flare virus, which has turned them into extras from the House of the Dead videogame. Aidan Gillen works his sublimely suspicious swagger as the clearly untrustworthy Janson, while Patricia Clarkson goes once again for ice queen, even in the midst of a battlefield. With Will Poulter out of the picture, the series (from James Dashner’s bestsellers) loses a little character, but Lili Taylor is a welcome addition to the widening roster of respected stalwarts. As before, edits have achieved a 12A certificate, although with its scenes of torture, biological decay, and Coma -like horror, this remains borderline fare; parents contemplating taking younger children should be strongly dissuaded.

Science fiction and fantasy films
The Observer
Action and adventure films
Aidan Gillen
Patricia Clarkson

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Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ Pits Hardy Teenagers Against a Mysterious Organization

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By John Williams

Sept. 17, 2015

Science doesn’t yet know how many movies it will take to answer this century’s most pressing question: How will attractive teenagers survive the apocalypse?

“ Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials ,” the second in a series about a racially diverse but otherwise interchangeable set led by a hardy hunk named Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), throws us right into the action. Stiff, vague bits of exposition establish that the youths had, indeed, been in some kind of maze. Now they are in a large industrial compound, saved from a nefarious organization called WCKD by another mysterious crew led by Janson (Aidan Gillen), a transparently shady guy himself. The teenagers are among the only people left immune to a virus that turns humans into zombielike mutants that shriek like velociraptors.

Thomas discovers that Janson is stringing kids up, unconscious and riddled with tubes, for some reason related to the virus. That’s enough info for him to grab his friends and skedaddle. Their unlikely jailbreak sends them blinking into a blasted landscape of ruined skyscrapers and giant sand dunes, like some combination of Tatooine and Detroit, where they hope to survive long enough to find a fabled group of resistance fighters.

“The Scorch Trials” adds nothing new to the unkillable dystopian genre, but it’s at least less ponderous than its predecessor . The many chases and ludicrous narrow escapes offer respectable doses of adrenaline.

“What do we do now?” a weary character asks near the end. With one last rousing speech from Thomas, that’s obvious: Make a third movie, due in 2017.

“Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Occasional gun violence and fewer bad words than you would utter under similar duress.

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Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ is a wicked good game

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“Go!” That word shouted out in triplicate or quintuplicate is the refrain and credo of director Wes Ball’s “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials,” the breathless second chapter of the rare young adult fantasy series that can stand up to “The Hunger Games.”

The first “Maze Runner” film was a wilderness saga refitted with robotic monsters. “The Scorch Trials” is a “Mad Max” film on foot.

In last year’s “Maze Runner,” our hero, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), arrived with his memory wiped clean in a colony of amnesiac adolescents at a wilderness outpost called the Glade. Thomas immediately sensed something off about the Glade’s location next to a giant concrete maze.

That sense is the closest Thomas comes to a superhero talent in this tough, unpretentious series, and he exercises it again in “The Scorch Trials.” It starts right after the first film ends, when Thomas led a few Gladers out of the maze and into a lab, where they learned via video from the enigmatic Ava Paige (Patricia Clarkson) that the World Catastrophe Killzone Department (WCKD, pronounced “Wicked”) had been testing them to find an antidote for a global cataclysm called “The Flare.”

The survivors are now hustled out of helicopters and into a subterranean bunker already filled with veterans of other mazes. There an ingratiating commander, Janson (Aidan Gillen), promises they will ship out in small groups to a new home where they’ll be safe from WCKD’s clutches. But Aris (Jacob Lofland), who escaped from another maze, soon convinces Thomas that these kids aren’t going anywhere, except into high-tech body bags. What ensues is a prison break followed by a nonstop chase, first through a devastated city and then through a desert so vast that the mountain home of a rebel army seems farther away the closer they get.

Ball and T.S. Nowlin, who adapted James Dashner’s book, never overexplain anything, including the teenagers’ status as “immunes,” the appearance of zombie-like creatures called Cranks or the extent of WCKD’s influence (“WCKD is good” is the series’ most piquant catchphrase). Thomas and company must crack these mysteries on the run, while gauging the value or virtue of some rococo supporting characters, notably the scavenging entrepreneur Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito) and his resourceful ward Brenda (Rosa Salazar), who use chained Cranks as guard dogs.

Thomas keeps his priorities straight by staying true to his band of younger brothers, and O’Brien grows into the role of leader without succumbing to bogus gravitas. He’s buoyant and urgent enough to hold his own in a cast full of scene-stealers, especially Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s hyper-alert Newt, and Salazar’s sly, sexy Brenda, who might be a better match for Thomas than his sometime soul mate, the distant and troubled Teresa (Kaya Scodelario).

The Gladers’ esprit de corps extends to the director. Ball’s go-for-broke enthusiasm enlivens conventional action-movie setups. What would escape sequences do without a convenient network of air ducts? Still, whenever a scene requires a precisely timed window smash or door slam, Ball and his cast overcome clichés with gusto.

Ball’s movie quotes are smart and evocative, including desert horizons out of “Lawrence of Arabia” and suspended bodies out of “Coma.” He’s keen on visual details: the ghostly swoosh of a white lab coat when air rushes in from a corridor, the grotesque profiles of bodies tumbling down sandbanks.

“The Scorch Trials” cannily exploits pop mythologies of the moment. If you’re up for an end-of-the-world adventure done with brio, take the film’s own advice and “Go!”

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‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’

Rated: PG-13 for extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action, thematic elements, substance use, language

Running time: 2 hour, 11 minutes

Playing: In wide release

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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Is Shaky, But Eventually Finds Its Way

Last year’s The Maze Runner was a pleasant surprise — a young-adult adaptation that refused to overexplain itself, letting our uncertainty about its bewildering futuristic world mirror the characters’ own. In it, a group of amnesiac young men were trapped in an enclosed glade, with a mysterious and deadly maze as their sole means of escape — an intriguing dysbropia with an existential spin. But then The Maze Runner went and did something stupid: It let them escape from the maze. At the end of the film, our heroes stepped out into a fiery apocalypse, with futuristic soldiers and helicopters and whatnot all around the place. The stage was set for what would surely be a bunch of world-building, overinsistent sequels with little of the lean charm of the original.

Now the first of those sequels is here, and for much of its first half, The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials fulfills all of our worst fears about where this story would go (especially for those of us who haven’t read the original James Dashner YA novels). As the film starts, our protagonist from the first film, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), and his companions Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Frypan (Dexter Darden), Winston (Alexander Flores), and Teresa (Kaya Scodelario, the lone girl in their crew), get a brief glimpse of the wasteland that the Earth has become. Blasted cityscapes? Check. Zombies? Check.

Then they’re whisked away by WCKD (World Catastrophe Killzone Department), the mysterious organization responsible for putting them in the maze in the first place. (Militaristic, fascist plutocrats? Check.) They’re housed in a massive complex, where they join lots of other kids; there were apparently many different mazes. Occasionally, some of the kids are rounded up by WCKD and taken away — we’re not sure where to. (Human experimentation? Check.) Regardless, Thomas and his pals don’t want to wait to find out. They flee WCKD and head out into the Scorch, the aforementioned wasteland. It’s a deadly but thoroughly predictable postapocalyptic landscape: The rivers have become deserts. There are crazy lightning storms. (Environmental devastation? Check.) And more zombies. It’s an all-of-the-above sci-fi dystopia.

There’s very little development to these characters, which is probably okay for those who remember the original film well, not so much for those of us who don’t. O’Brien, who gave Thomas a likable desperation in the first film, here goes a little too often to his signature move: running with his arms flailing and his mouth wide open. And so, The Scorch Trials starts to peter out under the weight of its meaninglessness and sheer unoriginality.

But then, something happens.

Essentially, The Scorch Trials makes up for the humdrum YApocalypse of its first half by going a little bonkers in its second. We get underground, rat-eating, mutant root zombies. We get Barry Pepper with a Gatling gun. We get a demented rave that would make Saturday Night Live ’s Stefon proud. (“This one’s got green aphrodisiacs, zombies on chains, and Alan Tudyk in velvet.”) As our heroes discover others out there in the Scorch, the story loosens up and starts to have fun, with admirable assists from a series of terrific character actors. So besides the aforementioned Tudyk and Pepper, Giancarlo Esposito shows up as a wasteland pirate, and Lili Taylor as a resistance leader. Character actors collecting paychecks in YA adaptations are nothing new; a friend once called the Harry Potter series “a retirement plan for the Royal Shakespeare Company.” But they’re especially welcome in this case, because they make up for the film’s thin script and the younger actors’ mostly anonymous performances by letting their own personas fill the void.

Meanwhile, director Wes Ball brings the right level of energy, at least to the second half. Many of the action setpieces are derivative, to be sure, with echoes of everything from Transformers: Dark of the Moon to Terminator Genisys , but they’re effective nevertheless. And he seems to have grown as a choreographer of chaos since the first film, which was often incoherent when it came to chases and fights. Now he keeps things moving without forsaking clarity, which is all the more impressive given the far bigger scale of this production. The Scorch Trials isn’t a particularly good movie, but it’s just fast and nutty enough to keep you entertained.

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Film Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’

The latest 'Maze Runner' movie succeeds well enough as derivative survival-horror-action thrillers go, but makes for an unsatisfying, confusing sequel.

By Andrew Barker

Andrew Barker

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In a 1939 short story by lifelong labyrinth aficionado Jorge Luis Borges, the king of Babylonia attempts to embarrass his guest, the king of the Arabs, by stranding him in a convoluted maze he’s constructed at his palace. Furious, the Arabian king responds by sacking Babylonia, riding the rival king out into the middle of the desert and leaving him to die, saying, “Allow me to show you my labyrinth.” Though lacking in Borges’ ironic symmetry, Wes Ball ’s “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials,” a sequel to last year’s YA adaptation “The Maze Runner,” pulls the exact same switcheroo. Containing no mazes but plenty of running, the film takes the original’s surviving characters and drops them into the middle of an entirely different type of movie, this one a desert-set zombie chase. Generally successful on its own as a strange survival-horror-action film for the pre-college set, but without making much sense at all as part of a larger narrative, “The Scorch Trials” should ensnare a solid chunk of its predecessor’s $340 million worldwide haul.

With the all-conquering “Hunger Games” series nearing its final stretch, fellow dystopian teenage sci-fi sagas “Maze Runner” and “Divergent” seem equally poised to succeed it, but the former has one key advantage. Both series’ premises are asinine, but “Divergent” is quite conscientious about thoroughly explaining its asinine premise right from the start, whereas “Maze Runner” at least sustains a bit of curiosity by leaving its characters and its audience completely in the dark about why anything is happening, and what any of it could possibly mean. (Furthermore, this film makes some rather significant changes to the basic plot of James Dashner’s book, meaning those who did read it will be almost as confused as those who did not.)

“The Scorch Trials” picks up mere minutes after the first film ended, as protagonist Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his band of fellow teenage “Gladers” are transported by helicopter to a remote fortified outpost. The group — also comprising Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Alexander Flores and Kaya Scodelario as Teresa, the last film’s lone femme — has just escaped from a maze full of monster machines created as a test by the shadowy WCKD organization, which hopes to harness their immunity to “the flare,” a zombie-like virus that, along with an actual solar flare, has left the world barren and inhospitable.

(Not explained in this film: exactly how the previous film’s maze was supposed to benefit anyone. On another note, likewise not mentioned in this film, WCKD apparently stands for “World Catastrophe Killzone Department,” which would be a terrible name for a government agency even if its acronym weren’t pronounced like “wicked.”)

Now, however, they’re in the company of Janson (Aidan Gillen), an operative of indistinct accent who claims to be from a rival organization, and they’ve been united with others who escaped similar mazes. You’d think that a bunch of teenagers, all of whom were recently kidnapped and stranded to fight for their lives at the behest of a sinister paramilitary organization, would be at least a little suspicious of a supposedly different paramilitary operation that keeps them in close confinement and takes a handful of kids away each night for some sort of “promotion,” never to be seen again. But the promise of hot showers and cafeteria food pacifies everyone except Thomas and Aris (Jacob Lofland), a jittery, solitary type who’s been at the facility longer than anyone else.

After some sleuthing through airshafts, the two discover that Janson is in league with WCKD head honcho Ava Paige ( Patricia Clarkson ), and the departed maze runners have been strung up in a laboratory, “Matrix”-style, so WCKD can slowly drain them of their precious immunity fluids. The Gladers and Aris stage a daring jailbreak and escape into “the Scorch,” the sun-baked desert landscape that has overtaken the world’s cities.

Taking shelter from the elements in a buried shopping mall, the group awaken a swarm of vicious zombies — the film calls them “Cranks,” though they’re in no way distinguishable from any of the other zombie hordes that have shuffled across screens over the past decade — who give chase and manage to snag one unlucky Glader. (The septet learns the hard way that not all of them are immune to the contagion, and the infected member’s tearful, lonely suicide is the first of several surprisingly brutal moments here.) With no other option, the group decides to head to the far-off mountains, where a mythical resistance group called the Right Hand may or may not offer sanctuary.

Even with the threat of zombies and WCKD search helicopters in hot pursuit, the film starts to become a literal slog as they trudge through the desert, until they stumble upon the tumbledown hideout of mincing gang boss Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito) and his rifle-toting surrogate daughter, Brenda (Rosa Salazar). Evidently the only humans left on earth with a sense of humor, the pair may be just the guides to take the group to the Right Hand, or they may sell them back to WCKD for a finder’s fee. (Esposito is his usual charming self here, while the swaggering, sarcastic Salazar — whose head-turning 2015 also includes stints in “Insurgent” and SXSW standout “Night Owls” — almost single-handedly shakes the film out of its solemn self-seriousness.)

Despite an overreliance on shaky-cam quick cuts, Ball stages a number of effective sequences, particularly a zombie pursuit up through a toppled skyscraper that relies more on ace production design than CGI to build believability. He also makes time for a few scenes that are so cheekily weird they may as well come from a different film. In one, Jorge plays the entirety of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” over a loudspeaker during a firefight; in another, Thomas and Brenda take some sort of hallucinogen and stumble around a decadent post-apocalyptic rave.

Stranger than either of those scenes, however, is the fact that for an incident-packed 131-minute film, “The Scorch Trials” offers virtually no character development and only hints of plot advancement, mostly just functioning to move a group of obliquely motivated characters from one place to another without giving much clue where the whole thing is headed. The first “Maze Runner” managed to pilfer elements from both “Lord of the Flies” and “Cube” to build a halfway believable teenage hierarchy confronted with a mysterious yet tangible obstacle; here, there’s little real sense of group dynamics, and the primary characters are all purely reactive, simply trudging from one horror to the next waiting for someone to tell them what’s going on.

Of course, they’ll presumably get their answers when the final installment — which has not yet been split into two parts — arrives in 2017. But there’s only so long viewers will keep scurrying around the filmmakers’ little maze before demanding the damn pellet already.

Reviewed at 20th Century Fox Studios, Los Angeles, Sept. 4, 2015. MPAA rating: PG-13. Running time: 131 MIN.

Production: A 20th Century Fox release of a Gotham Group/Temple Hill Entertainment production. Produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Lee Stollman, Joe Hartwick Jr.
Crew: Directed by Wes Ball. Screenplay, T.S. Nowlin, based on the novel "The Scorch Trials" by James Dashner. Camera (color), Gyula Pados; editor, Don Zimmerman; music, John Paesano; production designer, Daniel T. Dorrance; costume designer, Sanja Milkovic Hays; art director, Andrew Max Cahn; sound, Paul Ledford; re-recording mixers, Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill; visual effects, Richard E. Hollander; assistant director, Justin Muller; casting, Denise Chamian.
With: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Barry Pepper, Rosa Salazar, Lili Taylor, Patricia Clarkson, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Alexander Flores, Jacob Lofland.

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The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials Review

18 Sep 2015

NaN minutes

Maze Runner: Scorch Trials, The

The first Maze Runner dropped us right into the action and left us without resolution, beyond our heroes’ escape from the maze. This loose adaptation of the second book similarly dispenses with such luxuries as a beginning or end and just races with Dylan O’Brien’s Thomas and his friends as they run from the mysterious WCKD organisation, the genuinely scary, zombie-like Kranks that roam the burned-out Scorch and the gangs of the desert fringes. There are Spielbergian nods, colourful characters – Giancarlo Esposito is an eccentric gangster and Alan Tudyk runs a nightclub for the terminally decadent – and thoughtful moments amid the mayhem. So while it’s a woefully incomplete middle chapter, at least it’s never boring.

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Maze runner: the scorch trials, common sense media reviewers.

Dystopian sequel has lots of thrills, violence.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

This is a story about teamwork, friendship, courag

Thomas, Newt, Minho, and the rest of the surviving

The survivors face new enemies who use guns and ta

A character turns another character's head awa

Occasional strong language includes "s--t,&qu

In one scene, two teens are forced to drink an Abs

Positive Messages

This is a story about teamwork, friendship, courage, and identity. The teens may not know their past, but they work together toward a better future.

Positive Role Models

Thomas, Newt, Minho, and the rest of the surviving Gladers are courageous, intelligent, and willing to make sacrifices to defend and protect one another. Brenda is a strong female character who isn't afraid to defend herself or her friends. Jorge seems selfish and morally ambiguous at first, but he saves the day when the chips are down.

Violence & Scariness

The survivors face new enemies who use guns and tasers to subdue them. There's a high body count; people die or are injured as the result of shoot-outs (one person is brutally murdered at close range), explosions, and, in one case, a self-inflicted wound. The person who commits suicide does so off camera (the shot is heard but not seen), because they're succumbing to a deadly virus. A man is beaten so severely that his eye is bulged shut; he's bleeding and bruised. Characters are tortured (tied from their ankles and hung upside down). Gruesome, zombie-like creatures eat a rat, pursue anyone in their vicinity, and bite a couple of characters.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A character turns another character's head away from watching someone who's changing clothes (viewers only see her arms in the air as she adds a layer). At a club, teens and young adults dance close together, and two slightly inebriated teens kiss.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Occasional strong language includes "s--t," "son of a bitch," "bastard," "dumbass," "damn," "what the hell," "Jesus" (as an exclamation), and "oh my God!" Also, one use of the middle finger gesture.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

In one scene, two teens are forced to drink an Absinthe-looking liquor at a club where everyone is drinking; the drink makes them woozy and uninhibited. Young characters are injected a couple of times but are told it's just a "vitamin cocktail."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is the second movie in the Maze Runner trilogy. Based on James Dashner 's best-selling dystopian young adult novel, the film should attract teens (and adults) who are familiar with book series, as well as fans of star Dylan O'Brien (MTV's Teen Wolf ). As in the first film, violence is the main issue, with characters being chased, shot at, bitten by gruesome zombie-like creatures, and more. There's a high body count as the result of shoot-outs, explosions, and even a self-inflicted wound (the suicide happens off screen, but the shot is heard). This installment has more strong language (less "shank" and more "s--t," "son of a bitch," "dumbass," etc.) than the previous movie, and there's also slightly more romance -- two characters even kiss (they're slightly drunk at the time) -- though it's not as prominent here as in the Divergent or The Hunger Games movies. Like the first movie, themes here include friendship, courage, and teamwork. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parents say (41)
Kids say (149)

Based on 41 parent reviews

Not for kids

Great movie, what's the story.

MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS picks up shortly after the end of its predecessor, The Maze Runner : Thomas ( Dylan O'Brien ), Theresa ( Kaya Scodelario ), Newt ( Thomas Brodie-Sangster ), Minho ( Ki Hong Lee ), and the other surviving members of the Glade end up under the protection of Jansen ( Aidan Gillen ), who promises them they're safe from WCKD -- the organization that held them captive in the Maze. The kids meet teens from other Mazes; with the help of a new friend, Arris ( Jacob Lofland ), they discover things aren't what they seem, so they escape from Janson's control. Back on the run, they team up with rogue community leader Jorge ( Giancarlo Esposito ) and his courageous teen charge Brenda (Rosa Salazar) to find the mysterious "Right Arm," an underground resistance group that allegedly saves immune kids and deposits them in a safe zone.

Is It Any Good?

As Thomas, O'Brien is once again charming and determined in this faithful, action-packed sequel to The Maze Runner . The plot and character development aren't quite as compelling as they were in the first movie (the set up of waking up and having no idea why you're stuck somewhere is usually inherently fascinating), but that's to be expected of a story where the main characters are mostly on the run. There isn't much time in between fighting off men with guns and zombie-like Cranks to explore the inner workings of how these characters are feeling. But there are a couple of sweet contemplative conversations between Thomas and his crew, as well as between Thomas and his new friend, Brenda, ably played by Salazar as a brave girl who's a good shot but is also vulnerable.

Unfortunately, with the introduction of new characters like Rosa and Jorge, there isn't as much focus on fan favorites Newt and Minho, and poor Theresa is reduced to a stereotype of the sad girl with secrets. Although the pulse-quickening action sequences are still well executed (and, in a couple of cases, downright anxiety-provoking), it's really the characters that made the first movie so enjoyable, and while this interim installment provides just enough intrigue and twists to make fans happy, it also starts to seem a bit too much like every other teen dystopian movie. Even the tension between Thomas and the ruthless WCKD chancellor, played with icy gusto by Patricia Clarkson , feels straight out of the Katniss-vs.-President Snow or Tris-vs.-Jeanine Matthews playbook.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the popularity of violent dystopian stories aimed at teenagers. What impact does the violence have in the story? Is it different to see violence rather than to read about it? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

This story doesn't have too many girls and women in it. How do you think the various female characters are portrayed? Would you consider them role models?

Fans of the book: Was the movie a faithful adaptation? What differences did you like, and which scenes from the book did you miss?

Which characters are role models ? What character strengths do they demonstrate?

Movie Details

In theaters : September 18, 2015
On DVD or streaming : December 15, 2015
Cast : Kaya Scodelario , Dylan O'Brien , Ki Hong Lee , Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Director : Wes Ball
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors, Asian actors
Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
Genre : Action/Adventure
Topics : Adventures , Book Characters
Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
Run time : 131 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : extended sequences of violence and action, some thematic elements, substance use and language
Last updated : March 9, 2024

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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

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‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ Movie Review

“The maze is one thing but you kids wouldn’t last one day out in the Scorch,” says Janson (Aidan Gillen) to Thomas ( Dylan O’Brien ) as he and his friends are breaking out of the facility they just discovered is being run by the powerful organization known as WCKD in the second installment of the Maze Runner series, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials .

The Gladers, as they’re known from the first film, survived and escaped the maze only to end up as guinea pigs in medical trials and tests for WCKD in a new controlled facility. Once Thomas, with the help of a new ally, discovers the terrible truth of what’s in store, they make a break for it with WCKD in close pursuit. Finally escaping the medical prison, Thomas, Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), Newt ( Thomas Brodie-Sangster ), and the rest of the gang must travel across the Scorch, a desolate, dangerous wasteland of what once was civilization. Remnants of what once was a great city including destroyed buildings, bridges and sewer systems are all that’s left.

The Gladers struggle to stay clear of WCKD’s searching air machines while also running from the Cranks, a slang term for anyone infected by the virus known as the Flare which makes them similar to the infected in the film 28 Days Later . Thomas tells his friends they need to head for the mountains and try to find the resistance fighters who are known as the Red Army. At first, Teresa and Newt are hesitant about the plan. They don’t believe the army exists, but seeing no other option they decide to follow Thomas and the others to the mountains in the hopes of finding the resistance and eventually reaching a safe sanctuary they can finally call home.

Bigger with more action and more involved set designs, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a welcomed improvement over the first film in the series but still suffers from mediocre to unrealistic performances from its young cast. The production design and look of the film is extremely strong, bringing to life up on the big screen the vast, deadly wasteland of the Scorch. The mangled and crumbling high rise buildings and major bridges are very impressive as is the highly guarded medical facility Thomas and his friends are brought to in the beginning of the film. The steel doors and slick floors along with a military-looking barracks for rooms add a real feel of menace and uneasiness.

The direction by Wes Ball and pacing is also much better this time, with thrilling chases from the Cranks down in the sewer system and in abandoned buildings. In particular, a scene featuring Thomas struggling to save a new ally from a Crank while not plummeting to his death from the leaning, hallowed out high-rise building they’re in is truly suspenseful.

The biggest problem with the franchise is unfortunately still with the performances from the young cast and some of the horrible dialogue. Dylan O’Brien gives an energetic performance as Thomas, the one Glader who never lets his guard down and seems to be the only teen survivor who has a brain and uses it. Out of all the young performances his is the strongest, and yet what’s lacking is the emotional connection and friendship he feels for his comrades. It’s clear Thomas wants to survive but that he’s also willing to sacrifice himself to save his friends, which he almost does twice. But, there is zero chemistry between O’Brien and the rest of the cast.

Kaya Scodelario as Teresa gives a walk-through performance, never showing any emotion. She reads her lines adequately enough but has absolutely no chemistry with O’Brien who her character is supposed to care for. Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt is still the ever-doubting comrade, always questioning Thomas and his instincts. It’s a one-dimensional role that doesn’t require too much from the young actor. That said, Game of Thrones audiences know what Brodie-Sangster is capable of but doesn’t get the opportunity to show off in this role. Ki Hong Lee is solid as Minho, the loyal muscle of the group but, again, he doesn’t have any chemistry with O’Brien or any of the other young cast members.

The film also suffers from a weak script that has some of the supporting characters responding illogically and unrealistically during moments of grave danger. A perfect example of this is when Thomas comes back to the barracks after sneaking out and discovering a horrifying truth and tells the others they all have to leave right now because they’re in immediate danger. Minho and Newt want him to stop, sit down, and calmly tell them everything he saw…OH PLEASE! No one would react that way, especially after everything they’ve been through together.

With visually impressive sets, exciting action scenes, but hampered by stilted performances from the young cast, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a decent though forgettable, dark, post-apocalyptic teen adventure film.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for extended sequences of violence and action, some thematic elements, substance use and language

Running Time: 131 minutes

Directed By: Wes Ball

Release Date: September 18, 2015

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials review

Maze runner: the scorch trials writes the book on throwing away the book.

Big-screen adaptations of popular book series tend to follow a pretty traditional formula. In most cases, they hew close to the source material – particularly the first film – and tend to play it safe when streamlining the story in order to get from one key plot point to the next in the shortest running time possible. It’s a proven strategy that appeals to both the books’ established fanbase and – the studio hopes – newcomers.

That’s why the Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is such an anomaly. It offers up an exciting adventure that has little in common with the book that shares its title.

The second installment of a planned trilogy based on James Dashner’s Maze Runner novels, The Scorch Trials continues the saga that began with a group of teenagers trapped in a mysterious labyrinth, only to escape and find themselves in an even more dangerous, post-apocalyptic world. Uncertain who to trust after making their way out of the maze, the group of survivors led by the enigmatic Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) now find themselves on the run again in a ravaged world full of new, terrifying threats.

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All of the running in terror leaves little room for quality time with main characters.

The Maze Runner director Wes Ball reprises his role behind the camera for the sequel, and the young cast of returning actors is joined by some familiar, adult faces this time around, including Game of Thrones actor Aidan Gillen, Breaking Bad ‘s Giancarlo Esposito, Oscar-nominee Patricia Clarkson ( Pieces of April ), Firefly actor Alan Tudyk, Emmy-nominated actress Lili Taylor ( Six Feet Under , The Conjuring ), and 61* star Barry Pepper. Franchise screenwriter TS Nowlin also returns for The Scorch Trials after co-writing last year’s The Maze Runner .

The tagline used in marketing materials for The Scorch Trials is “The maze was just the beginning,” but a more appropriate description of the film might be “Run for your life.” In much the same way last year’s Mad Max: Fury Road seemed like one long, explosive car chase from beginning to end, The Scorch Trials is a frantic sprint for much of its 131-minute running time.

From the opening moments of the movie until the credits roll, The Scorch Trials careens from one chase sequence to another with various cast members sprinting, climbing, or otherwise fleeing in terror from agents of the mysterious organization WCKD, zombie-like “Cranks” affected by the savage “Flare” virus, and other dangers. Fortunately, it does a nice job of making each sequence feel unique with some impressive set pieces.

One particularly memorable sequence has O’Brien and newcomer Rosa Salazar ( Insurgent ) climbing through the interior of a crumbling skyscraper that’s leaning precariously against another building across a wide avenue. They’re pursued by several Cranks whose advanced stage of the virus has transformed them into savage creatures, and the pair must navigate an MC Escher-like environment of warped staircases, walls, and ceilings within the fallen tower.

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All of the running in terror, however, leaves little room for quality time with main characters.

Despite the presence of the aforementioned familiar faces, their characters receive precious little screen time in The Scorch Trials . Esposito and Gillen are the lone standouts of the newcomers, and while Gillen’s much-too-brief role doesn’t allow for much nuance as the smarmy villain, Esposito makes the most of his time on screen with some fun, compelling moments that make his character one of the most interesting of the bunch.

Some genuinely thrilling, entertaining elements help make up for the lack of substance.

The same balance – or more accurately, imbalance – of action vs. character development holds true for the returning cast. The film’s creative team seems to assume that the first installment of the franchise provided all the backstory and development necessary to carry the core characters through to the end of the franchise, and spends little time with any survivors of the maze that doesn’t involve running and a lot of shouting (while running).

Given how quickly things move, this lack of balance only tends to be a problem when the film asks its audience to have an emotional reaction to particular, character-based plot points (i.e., deaths or unexpected shifts in good-bad alignment). Instead of eliciting the intended drama, the break in the action just serves to remind you how little you actually know about the characters.

Still, there are some genuinely thrilling, entertaining elements in The Scorch Trials that make up for the lack of substance beneath all the action. Given how far the story veers off the path of its source material, there are also quite a few surprises for fans of the books – which can be a good thing if handled the right way.

The conclusion of the film feels a little anti-climactic given all of the chaos leading up to it, but The Scorch Trials still manages to leave you wanting more when the credits roll, just as any trilogy’s middle-chapter should.

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DVD & Streaming

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Action/Adventure , Drama , Mystery/Suspense , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

September 18, 2015
Dylan O'Brien as Thomas; Kaya Scodelario as Teresa; Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt; Aidan Gillen as Janson; Patricia Clarkson as Ava Paige; Ki Hong Lee as Minho; Giancarlo Esposito as Jorge; Barry Pepper as Vince; Rosa Salazar as Brenda; Jacob Lofland as Aris; Dexter Darden as Frypan

Home Release Date

December 15, 2015

Distributor

20th Century Fox

Movie Review

When last we saw Thomas, he was dodging cyborg spiders, outwitting nefarious scientists and flirting with that ugly wallflower called Death.

But the Maze finally bid Thomas and his pals adieu without so much as a parting gift. And after the teens made their escape, some soldiers swooped in and rescued them from the dastardly scientists of WCKD. Whew!

Alas, the soldiers turn out to be pretty WCKD themselves, as evidenced from the bevy of comatose teens locked away in a back room, plastic tubes draining them of blue fluid until they’re dead. (And no, I don’t quite know why they’re leaking blue, either.) Frypan, meet fire.

Granted, WCKD has its reasons. The world outside has seen better days, and most of humanity has succumbed to something called the Flare—a disease that turns folks into crazed, zombie-like beings known as Cranks. WCKD wants to find a cure, and they discovered that the younger you are, the more likely you are to be immune to the Flare, and thus potentially have a vaccine locked away in your colorful corpuscles. Isn’t the survival of the human race worth turning a few teens into jerky?

Well … no. Especially if you happen to be, y’know, a teen and all. So Thomas gathers a few old friends and a couple of new ones, and they escape—again. Only this time there’s no maze to run, no spiders to kill. Outside WCKD’s fabricated confines, there’s only a shattered wasteland, filled with sand and heat and inexplicable lightning storms … and Cranks. Lots and lots and lots of Cranks. And, of course, there’s always WCKD—chasing, pursuing, hunting. Thomas and his cadre, after all, are precious vessels, perhaps holding the secret to saving all of mankind. WCKD won’t let them go.

Positive Elements

Thomas is an unlikely leader. In fact, in The Scorch Trials book (written by James Dashner), the boy has been given a neck tattoo that singles him out for slaughter. But in both the book and the movie he has a number of leadership skills that set him apart: His courage, his ability to think under pressure, his knack for giving inspiring speeches at opportune times. Additionally, perhaps his most winsome trait is his willingness to risk nearly everything for his friends.

Thomas shows his sacrificial side repeatedly. He rescues people again and again, and he refuses to abandon his mates even under some pretty dire circumstances. While he’d agree the Flare is pretty horrific, he sees the horror in WCKD’s efforts to fight it, too—and he’s determined to put a stop to their, well, wicked ways, even if it costs him his own life. Little wonder that his friends—Newt, Teresa and Minho, along with new cohorts Frypan, Brenda and Aris—often follow his example, walking with him into seriously perilous situations.

Spiritual Elements

The idea of ghosts comes up a couple of times, but more figuratively than literally. The teens’ immunity is referred to as “a gift of biology, of evolution.”

Sexual Content

Thomas and Brenda are separated from the group during their escape, and their comrades search for them in a dystopian pit of iniquity. The entryway features women who are clearly up for some end-of-the-world seduction. Inside, men and women, sometimes designed to give off a rather androgynous vibe, mingle and sway to the music, giving the place the feel of a particularly decadent nightclub. Under the influence of some drink, Brenda tries to seduce Thomas, suggesting they forget about everyone else. They kiss, and Thomas sees Teresa instead of Brenda.

Teresa changes tops, most of her body covered by a screen. That doesn’t stop Frypan from ogling, though. When it’s learned that Aris was in another Glade entirely populated by women, someone quips, “Some guys have all the luck.”

Violent Content

Dystopian worlds are rarely peaceful, and the land Thomas finds himself in is no exception. Particularly creepy are the Cranks—zombie-like humans (but much faster and, as such, more prone to make viewers jump) that seem to exist only to kill and eat. (One Crank grabs a rat and bites its head off.) Most are deformed by the disease and the ensuing wear and tear it triggers. (Undead-like decay is common, and some Cranks have ripped out their own eyes.) Those in the latter stages of the Flare have odd tendrils protruding from their bodies, even sometimes from their mouths.

A would-be Crank victim is bitten on the leg. We see the bloody wound at first, then later see the skin blackened and diseased. A teen raked across the belly by Crank claws begins to get sick, his stomach turning into a mangled mass of grayish-black skin. He begs to be left behind, and Thomas and the rest eventually do just that—leaving their gun with him. As they hike away, they hear a single shot.

Thomas and others fight the Cranks, and Cranks fight one another, too—pushing and squashing their kin in an effort to reach prey. Two fall to their doom from significant heights. Others are punched and shot.

WCKD personnel chase the teens, armed with serious stun guns that immobilize victims with visible electricity. Those resisting WCKD rely on more lethal means, shooting revolvers and rifles, sometimes killing with them. One battle scene is strewn with covered bodies. A man is tied up and severely beaten—ostensibly by one of the good guys—until he divulges a secret. His face is bruised and bloodied, one eye swollen shut.

A warehouse is blown up, presumably crushing the people inside. People are shot dead, sometimes suffering bloody wounds. Unconscious teens hang in a laboratory, tubes pumping fluid out of their bodies. When Thomas takes a shower, we see blood trickle down the drain. Someone sucker-punches Thomas in the gut. A lightning bolt nearly kills someone.

[ Spoiler Warning ] Near the end of the movie, Thomas declares his ambition to kill WCKD’s lead doctor, Ava Page. “I’d like some revenge,” one of his cohorts says, presumably foreshadowing the next movie.

Crude or Profane Language

About 15 s-words. Desert variety profanities include “a–,” “b–ch,” “b–tard,” “d–n,” “h—” and “bloody.” Thomas makes an obscene gesture. God’s and Jesus’ names are each abused three or four times.

Drug and Alcohol Content

To gain entry to the “pit of iniquity” mentioned above, Brenda and Thomas are forced to drink an unnamed but clearly intoxicating liquid. Under its influence, their judgment is impaired, and Thomas eventually is left crawling on the floor.

Drugs designed to stop the progression of the Flare are also administered.

Other Negative Elements

A boy vomits up a black substance.

The Maze Runner series feels like the little brother of YA-lit-themed movies. It does not boast a stable of important, Oscar-winning actors like The Hunger Games or Divergent series do. (The biggest name here might be Giancarlo Esposito, who earned his acting stripes in AMC’s Breaking Bad .) It’s not expected to break box office records. (Though the first movie did crack $100 million in North America.) It has the vibe of a “me-too” studio afterthought—a way 20th Century Fox could join the YA party and collect a little extra cash.

The makers of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials have, it seems, largely abandoned the source material and, in its place, have created something of a narrative mess—an overlong frenetic freefall of a film that, for all its action, feels surprisingly bereft of drama. Outside Thomas and Teresa, most of the characters feel strangely interchangeable, and they aren’t given much to do other than follow Thomas’ lead. The flick is so filled with stock battle scenes and inexplicable lightning storms that there really isn’t much time to get to know anyone, much less allow the movie’s underlying themes to breathe a bit.

That’s too bad. Dystopian stories, whatever their inherent weaknesses, allow storytellers to ponder society’s core sense of morality: When civilization crumbles, what’s left? What do we value? What’s important? This story feints in those directions at times, but for the most part such concepts are all gobbled up by what the movie really wants to focus on: What’s gonna blow up next?

It’s not unusual for popcorn munchers like this to concentrate more on whiz-bang than cinematic philosophy, of course. That’s why they’re called popcorn munchers. But given that the whiz-bang here is so violent, and the foul language between (and during) action sequences so scorching (especially for a kid’s flick), while watching it I started to suspect that maybe WCKD had been messing around with things yet again.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Movie Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’

“Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” is nothing more than a compilation of scenes that seem to be taken from countless other movies and series. Whether it is “The Walking Dead,” “World War Z” or “The Hunger Games,” it is not hard to spot the resemblance.

After the mild success of the first film, “The Maze Runner,” , the gang is all back together as they continue to try to take down the evil corporation known as “Wicked.” Led by an overzealous doctor dressed in all white, the paramilitary turned bio-med researchers are hell-bent on finding a cure to a ravenous plague, no matter the cost to human life.

The film is its own tragedy:

Scenes were far too drawn out; elements seemed awkwardly conjoined together to advance the plot, and at the end of it all, you were left with an easily predicted cliffhanger but not the slightest sense of closure. The film featured far too many unreasonable elements for it to be accepted as a vaguely realistic premise, even within its post-apocalyptic framework.

For instance, all the clothes and shoes seem to fit perfectly despite being found in an abandoned mall that is hit with sand storms nightly. Not only do they fit, but all of the clothes also seem to be very fashionable and complement the character’s physique in an appealing way. Hmm, odd– but moving on.

The group of teens also somehow seem to find backpacks equipped with supplies to survive in the desert in the abandoned mall that diseased zombies have occupied for the past few decades. Right.

In addition to being grounded in the glitz and glam of Hollywood, the characters encounter circumstances that are questionable at best.

Great films spark a conversation between various viewpoints, yet “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” incessantly interrupts this experience and forces the viewer to grapple with the plausibility of what is going on. This never-ending mind game detracts from the experience at hand and prevents the audience from becoming enthralled in the adventure of it all.

The greatest big-screen flicks are supposed to make the audience feel something. Just about any strong emotion in the book can be considered a success for the filmmaker, that is, with the exception of frustration, and this film is chock-full of it.

After a few scenes, it begins to feel as though the only reason that the main characters are alive is so that they can survive until the end of the movie so that filmmakers can make a third one.

Even if a film is not grounded in reality, this should not allow its characters to forgo every law of nature. Sadly, this film tries to do just that.

A paradox exists within the plot in that the group seems to make all the classic movie mistakes, yet somehow always makes it out alive.

Knowing that the protagonist, or worse, the entire cast, is going to end up making it out alive, despite how perilous hisjourney will be, is a very depressing realization to come to in the middle of a film.

From “let’s split up so we can cover more ground,” to just plain idiotic script choices, the film shows behavior that the viewers constantly critique the choices of the characters instead of becoming enthralled in the adventure of it all.

The group of teens seems to lack simple common sense and memory of past mistakes, which is fine, but they shouldn’t prosper because of it. The filmmakers have to choose a path– act intelligently and live or behave stupidly and perish– yet they go the entire film swerving between the two.

If the viewer does not think there is a chance he will lose his favorite character, there is no reason to feel for the characters. This uneventful dynamic prevents the audience from becoming emotionally invested in the fate of the characters, which is a major setback for the entire film.

There is one high point roughly 80 percent of the way through the film, where the characters finally win over the audience’s emotions.

The chemistry of the cast, especially the genuine nature of the supporting cast, is this film’s redeeming quality.

If you haven’t seen the first, do not see the second. If you didn’t like the first, do not expect anything better.

maze runner scorch trails
post-apocalyptic
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Movie Review: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

Movie Reviews
15 responses
--> September 19, 2015

You’d think the Maze would’ve been enough of an adventure. A group of boys lived in the Glade, a green valley surrounded by intimidating stone walls that trapped them in every night, and they never knew when their supplies would run out or when the next new recruit would appear. Each night, a select few ran the Maze, trying to find a way out while evading horrible, mechanical creatures called Grievers whose venomous attacks would leave a boy incapacitated and feverish. When Thomas (Dylan O’Brien, “ The Internship ”) appeared, became a Maze Runner, and eventually led the boys to an escape of the Glade and through the perilous Maze, the boys thought their turmoil had passed, that their torment was through, and they were finally safe.

Unfortunately for them, the secret organization WCKD (cleverly known as WICKED) has other plans.

At the end of “ The Maze Runner ,” Thomas, sole-Maze-girl Teresa (Kaya Scodelario, “ Clash of the Titans ”), Minho (Ki Hong Lee, “Everything Before Us”) and the small group of surviving boys are rescued by a group of rebels. Now, in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials , they are rushed on helicopters through a windstorm to a fortress where they’re given showers, hot meals, and beds and discover many other boys and girls like them — WCKD, we learn, had other Mazes and other experiments. Thomas is questioned briefly by rebel leader Mr. Janson (Aidan Gillen, “ Calvary ”), who promises them protection, and transport to a sanctuary where they can live in safety from the Cranks, people infected with the Flare — a disease that renders the victim feverish, zombie-like, and extremely dangerous.

Each day, a group of young men and women are called, brought through a steel door, and disappear. Those remaining behind are promised their turn, but when Thomas investigates and discovers something much more sinister than they ever imagined, the boys and Teresa escape the fortress and enter the Scorch. Out in the desolate wasteland, the escapees encounter sandstorms and vicious lightning strikes, vast distances between shelters, and, of course, Cranks. Searching for the Right Arm, a resistance group rumored to be hiding out in the mountains, the group remains focused on their goal of defeating WCKD and stopping the many terrible experiments being performed on the young.

Adapted from James Dashner’s second novel in The Maze Runner trilogy, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a story mixed with tension, adventure, and a little bit of “Mad Max” thrown in for good measure. As another YA series based in a post-apocalyptic world, “The Maze Runner” and its sequel are fighting against YA dystopic fatigue from movie-goers, and it’s successfully holding its ground because Dasher’s characters are not “ The Hunger Games ” or “ Divergent ” clones, although they struggle through similar trials (surviving attacks from adults, trying to find sanctuary from a greater evil entity).

Thomas and his allies are fighting against Dr. Ava Paige (Patricia Clarkson, “ One Day ”) who claims she’s trying to save humanity, not exterminate youth or rule tyrannically. Where those other YA trilogies are determined to squash down rebellious young people, this one presents some ambiguity about WCKD’s motives, especially since Thomas used to work with and for them. Clarkson’s soft-spoken Paige is simultaneously calming and frightening as she speaks to Janson about her intentions, making her something other than your typical bad guy kingpin. Her demeanor contrasts starkly with Dylan O’Brien’s Thomas whose kinetic energy shows his commitment to bringing WCKD down while he struggles with his fragmented memories regarding his own role in their plans.

To go with Thomas, new characters and new dangers abound in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials , although there are some distinct changes in the adaptation from Dasher’s novel — some I’m very disappointed to see left out of the script. Notably missing is some character depth, much of the complexities between characters and more than a fair share of shocking moments. Similar liberties (although to a lesser extent) were taken by returning director Wes Ball and screenwriter T.S. Nowlin with the “The Maze Runner,” so these omissions aren’t show-stoppers for audience members who have read the books (and most certainly not for those who haven’t). Such is the limitation to taking page to film.

What’s good though, is director and writer are returning to work on the final chapter, “Maze Runner: The Death Cure” (to be released in 2017), so fans of the series will know what to expect. Often when multiple directors are given the helms to these hugely popular YA adaptation franchises an uneven tone results.

But that’s not all — it gets better yet still.

They’re also saying TRILOGY — so this is one three-book series that won’t become four movies. And by bucking the trend started by Harry Potter with “ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 ” and “ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 ,” Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials fits right in as a fine “middle film” — it moves the story along, it brings us new and more grueling challenges, and it keeps us excited for the next installment.

Tagged: dystopia , future , novel adaptation , sequel

School teacher by day. Horror aficionado by night.

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'Movie Review: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)' have 15 comments

September 19, 2015 @ 9:29 pm nacho cheesiest

Yawn. I’m just dead tired of these lame adaptations.

September 19, 2015 @ 9:36 pm Noped

standard action movie. lots of running. suffers from air ducts people can crawl through.

September 19, 2015 @ 9:55 pm run in circles

I’ll admit I liked it and I’m likely to watch the final episode. There’s some silly moments to this but overall its got good tension and thrills and Dylan O’Brien makes a good protagonist. It’s heads and shoulders better than Divergent and Giver and others.

September 20, 2015 @ 12:40 am crunkboss

Dylan O’Brien always has his mouth half open like he is in a constant state of exasperation.

September 19, 2015 @ 10:13 pm pinklemonaide

It’s been an entertaining series so far.

September 19, 2015 @ 10:30 pm crazypatton

If I wanted to watch another race across a desert I’ll rewatch Fury Road before watching this childish crap thank you very much.

September 19, 2015 @ 10:32 pm Sammie

Really…zombies? :-?

September 20, 2015 @ 8:28 am Horn 'O Plenty

They’re Cranks, man. Know the difference!

September 19, 2015 @ 10:51 pm Woodburns

3/10 from me. It goes a lot farther than just “missing some character depth, much of the complexities between characters and more than a fair share of shocking moments.” If I recall correctly, they pretty much left out all the plot developments from the book.

September 19, 2015 @ 11:44 pm Fraser

I liked the first movie more. Scorch has some interesting action but it is mostly kids running and yelling at each other to keep moving or hide.

September 20, 2015 @ 3:02 am LIZE

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I don’t see the problem with sacrificing some kids to develop a cure to save humanity. What am I missing?

September 20, 2015 @ 12:24 pm raft-pal

Self preservation is a basic human instinct.

September 20, 2015 @ 1:38 pm ironman1

You’re not an adolescent girl?

September 20, 2015 @ 11:08 am videokarma

Got dragged to this last night. I will never forgive nor forget. Never ever.

September 20, 2015 @ 2:18 pm illmatica

If you take the ‘Maze Runner’ portion out of the title you have a neat little post apocalyptic zombie movie.

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Screen Rant

Maze runner 4: will it happen everything we know.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure ended the original trilogy, but will Maze Runner 4 happen? Here's what is known about its status, story, and more.

Quick Links

Disney confirmed maze runner 4 is happening in 2019, maze runner 4's story: which book will it adapt, which characters can return in maze runner 4's cast, when will maze runner 4 be released.

Disney confirms Maze Runner 4 is in development, expanding the successful YA franchise with potential new storylines.
Possible storylines for Maze Runner 4 include prequels or sequels, offering different directions and connections to the original trilogy.
Uncertainty surrounds the return of original cast members in Maze Runner 4 due to timeline constraints and aging characters.

The Maze Runner movie franchise is expected to expand with the confirmation of Maze Runner 4 , and there are updates on where the movie's development stands. 20th Century Studios entered the young adult book adaptation surge of the 2010s by turning James Dashner's The Maze Runner book series into a major action franchise. The original trilogy starred Dylan O'Brien as Thomas and Kaya Scodelario as Teresa as they fight back against WCKD and create a cure for the Flare Virus. Maze Runner: The Death Cure 's ending brought the trilogy to a close without assurances the franchise would continue.

There has always been hope that Maze Runner 4 could happen at some point. The original three Maze Runner movies were successful at the box office, grossing nearly $1 billion worldwide. There are also additional novels by James Dashner that give 20th Century and Disney opportunities to expand the franchise in different directions. With the last installment coming in 2018, the fate of the franchise and the possibilities of Maze Runner 4 have lingered. The exact status of the film is known, although additional details on what characters and story it could focus on is unclear.

8 Biggest Franchise Questions Maze Runner 4 Can Answer

The studio promised new movies in the franchise after the death cure.

Disney was put in charge of the Maze Runner franchise following the studio's acquisition of 20th Century Studios in 2019. The sale came one year after Maze Runner: The Death Cure hit theaters and hit franchise lows. The movie ended the trilogy with the franchise's worst reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and it also finished with the lowest box office gross of any Maze Runner movie. Despite the underperformance of the final film, Disney still managed to see the worth in the IP. This led to the confirmation that Maze Runner 4 is in development .

The announcement that new Maze Runner movies were in development came in April 2019 as part of Disney's presentation at CinemaCon. Executives from 20th Century took the stage to tease that the franchise would continue as part of touting the continuation of other franchises previously run by Fox, like Kingsman , Avatar , Planet of the Apes , and Alien (via Erik Davis ). So far, Disney has made good on the promise that these franchises would continue, as Kingsman 3 , multiple Avatar sequels, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes , and Alien: Romulus have either been announced or come out.

This leaves Maze Runner 4 as the only movie from this original announcement that has yet to be made. There have not been any updates on the status of the film since the initial confirmation, though. No director or writer has become attached to the project on an official level. The years of inactivity do raise questions about whether the film is in active development, or if it has become a title that Disney and 20th Century have not managed to piece together. But, there has not been any announcement that Maze Runner 4 is not happening either.

James Dashner's Books Provide Different Options

There are two different directions that Maze Runner 4 could take in regards to adapting one of James Dashner's books. He has written prequels to the original novels and sequel books as well, and both are potential options for the next Maze Runner movie's story. There are currently two prequels and two sequel/spinoff books that Disney has the option to look at when deciding what direction to take Maze Runner 4 's story. One would take the franchise back to the early days of the Flare Virus, and the other would push the timeline well beyond Thomas' story and The Death Cure 's ending.

The prequel option for Maze Runner 4 would mean adapting The Kill Order . It was released in 2012 and takes place 13 years before the events of The Maze Runner . The book tells the story of the Flare Virus' outbreak on Earth. Although it begins with a prologue that includes Thomas and Teresa, the main characters are Mark and Trina, teenage friends who survived the original flare and live with other survivors in the Appalachians. This would make Maze Runner 4 's story revolve around the origin of the Flare Virus and provide major connections to the original trilogy characters.

The Kill Order had a sequel book, The Fever Code, that also acts as a prequel to the original books and movies.

The sequel option for Maze Runner would come with adapting The Maze Cutter . The sequel/spinoff book was released in 2022 and takes place 73 years after The Death Cure . It revolves around descendants of the Gladers as a ship arrives on their island and threatens their lives. This story revolves around Sadina, Isaac, and Jackie, with Sadina being related to Newt. Maze Runner 4 's story going down this route would serve as a soft relaunch of the property that leaves the door open to continue the franchise by adapting The Godhead Complex afterward.

Thomas O'Brien & Other Cast Members Might Not Be Involved

Adapting either The Kill Order or The Maze Cutter does reduce the options for original The Maze Runner cast members to return in the next installment. The Kill Order 's book does include roles for Thomas and Teresa, but bringing Dylan O'Brien or Kaya Scodelario back would be challenging . Their roles are limited to events set right before The Maze Runner and when they were both only five years old. Of course, the Maze Runner movie could change the books further by adding in characters audiences would recognize, such as WCKD's Ava Paige.

Maze Runner 4 Already Has An Easy Way To Bring Back Dylan O’Brien

The Maze Cutter 's timeline would prevent practically every original cast member from returning too. Since the story takes place 73 years later, the young adult characters will now be in their 80s or 90s. Thomas, Brenda, Minho, and others have no roles to play in the sequel book. Bringing back any of the original stars would be an example of changing the source material, and it would only be possible through flashback scenes. Bridging the gap between The Death Cure and The Maze Cutter , possibly with Thomas narrating it, could help bring back a few characters.

Disney Has Never Given Maze Runner 4 A Release Date

Due to its current development status, Maze Runner 4 's release date is unknown. Disney has never given the film a date on its schedule, even though the studio has releases mapped out through 2027. This might mean that the earliest Maze Runner 4 could be released is 2028 . That would provide a few years for Disney to assemble a creative team and go through all stages of production before a release date would come. The timing of that release could be perfect, as it would be 10 years since Maze Runner: The Death Cure wrapped up the original trilogy.

Ultimately, it is difficult to predict when Maze Runner 4 's release date could be. If development heated up quickly, Disney could push the film through production and into theaters in as few as two years. If the studio continues to let the IP falter, then it might be much longer than 2028 before another Maze Runner movie is released. Announcing a Maze Runner 4 release date would solve these issues and provide a major update whenever that news comes.

The Maze Runner

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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials movie review (2015)
The mythology in these dystopian young adult novels-turned-films can be dense at times, but "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" crams in more lore, supporting characters, backstories and motivations to the extent that it becomes difficult to get a grasp on anything. Returning director Wes Ball covers a lot more ground this time, literally and ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Watch Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials with a subscription on Max, rent on Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video, or buy on Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video. Rate And Review. Submit review. Want to see
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Review
Verdict. The story is much lighter this time out, but Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials nevertheless improves upon the first movie. The world is bigger, the stakes are higher and there's a lot more ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Scorch Trials does not present any new themes or much character development but it does cement the concepts of truth and freedom that The Maze Runner introduced. Full Review | Sep 13, 2021
'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials': Film Review
A significant portion of The Scorch Trials is devoted to filling in the narrative gaps essential to maintaining the veil of mystery that characterized The Maze Runner and the Gladers' ignorance ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials review
L ike the second instalment of Divergent - the cast of which you fully expect to meet coming the other way over the brow of the dystopian YA hill - Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials steps up the ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
Edit page. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials: Directed by Wes Ball. With Dylan O'Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster. 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.
Review: 'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' Pits Hardy Teenagers Against a
"Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Occasional gun violence and fewer bad words than you would utter under similar duress. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Review: 'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' is a wicked good game
Sept. 17, 2015 5:21 PM PT. "Go!". That word shouted out in triplicate or quintuplicate is the refrain and credo of director Wes Ball's "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials," the breathless ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. Is Shaky, But Eventually Finds Its Way. By Bilge Ebiri, a film critic for New York and Vulture. Last year's The Maze Runner was a pleasant surprise — a young ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD's vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all ...
'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' Review: One Confusing Sequel
The latest 'Maze Runner' movie succeeds well enough as derivative survival-horror-action thrillers go, but makes for an unsatisfying, confusing sequel. In a 1939 short story by lifelong labyrinth ...
The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials Review
The first Maze Runner dropped us right into the action and left us without resolution, beyond our heroes' escape from the maze. This loose adaptation of the second book similarly dispenses with ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Movie Review
Parents need to know that Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is the second movie in the Maze Runner trilogy. Based on James Dashner's best-selling dystopian young adult novel, the film should attract teens (and adults) who are familiar with book series, as well as fans of star Dylan O'Brien (MTV's Teen Wolf).As in the first film, violence is the main issue, with characters being chased, shot at ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Review
The Scorch Trials maintains the semi-successful bar of intriguing movie escapism set by The Maze Runner.. After waking up in a mysterious glade, with no memory of his former life, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) successfully led a group of fellow captives through a lethal maze and out into the real world. Upon exiting the labyrinth, Thomas discovers they were all captives of the World In Catastrophe ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
The second chapter of the epic "Maze Runner" saga . Thomas -Dylan O'Brien- and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles.
'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' Movie Review
Bigger with more action and more involved set designs, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a welcomed improvement over the first film in the series but still suffers from mediocre to unrealistic performances from its young cast. The production design and look of the film is extremely strong, bringing to life up on the big screen the vast, deadly ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials review Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials writes the book on throwing away the book ... Blade Runner 2049 is an exceptional sequel to the 1980s cult classic movie ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Movie Review. When last we saw Thomas, he was dodging cyborg spiders, outwitting nefarious scientists and flirting with that ugly wallflower called Death. ... The makers of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials have, it seems, largely abandoned the source material and, in its place, have created something of a narrative mess—an overlong frenetic ...
Movie Review: 'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials'
Great films spark a conversation between various viewpoints, yet "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" incessantly interrupts this experience and forces the viewer to grapple with the plausibility of what is going on. This never-ending mind game detracts from the experience at hand and prevents the audience from becoming enthralled in the ...
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (stylized onscreen simply as The Scorch Trials) is a 2015 American dystopian science fiction film based on James Dashner's 2010 novel The Scorch Trials, the second novel in The Maze Runner book series.The film is a direct sequel to the 2014 film The Maze Runner and the second installment in The Maze Runner film series.It was directed by Wes Ball, with a ...
Movie Review: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
Poo-Review Ratings. Stay Away. You'd think the Maze would've been enough of an adventure. A group of boys lived in the Glade, a green valley surrounded by intimidating stone walls that trapped them in every night, and they never knew when their supplies would run out or when the next new recruit would appear.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Ending Explained
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is the second film in the Maze Runner trilogy, one that ends with its share of twists, turns, and shocking revelations.After the ending of The Maze Runner, Thomas and his friends - a group dubbed the Gladers - are taken inside a WCKD facility.WCKD is the morally gray organization of Maze Runner's universe, responsible for creating the titular maze from the first ...
Watch Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. 2015 | Maturity Rating: 13+ | Action. Teens immune to the virus that has overtaken the planet make their way through desert terrain pursued by the undead and a sinister organization. Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Watch Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. 2015 | Maturity Rating: 13+ | Action. Teens immune to the virus that has overtaken the planet make their way through desert terrain pursued by the undead and a sinister organization. ... Sci-Fi Movies, Movies Based on Books, Action & Adventure Movies, Teen Movies. This movie is...
The Maze Runner Ending & The Real Experiment Explained
The Maze Runner's ending is packed with action, twists, and reveals as Thomas and the Gladers escape from the Maze and the future of the franchise is put into motion. 20th Century's adaptation of James Dashner's novel of the same name came out in 2014 and followed Dylan O'Brien's Thomas as he wakes up in the Glade and searches for answers regarding the maze and his past.
Watch Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. 2015 | Maturity rating: 13+ | Action. Teens immune to the virus that has overtaken the planet make their way through desert terrain pursued by the undead and a sinister organization. Starring: Dylan O'Brien,Kaya Scodelario,Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Maze Runner 4: Will It Happen? Everything We Know
The Maze Runner movie franchise is expected to expand with the confirmation of Maze Runner 4, and there are updates on where the movie's development stands. 20th Century Studios entered the young adult book adaptation surge of the 2010s by turning James Dashner's The Maze Runner book series into a major action franchise. The original trilogy starred Dylan O'Brien as Thomas and Kaya Scodelario ...

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Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ Pits Hardy Teenagers Against a Mysterious Organization

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Film Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’

Andrew Barker

Reviewed at 20th Century Fox Studios, Los Angeles, Sept. 4, 2015. MPAA rating: PG-13. Running time: 131 MIN.

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