If it’s not Sequels; Remakes; Reboots or Comic Book films, it’s likely to be a film based on a YA (Young Adult Novel)
Our personal favourite is The Hunger Games (Of course having Jennifer Lawrence, being our fav Actress in it, probably helps) but these YA films from books have done exceptionally well from the Twilight Saga/Harry Potter to those that didn’t even get past the first book InkHeart/Alex Rider to name two
Somewhere probably in the middle with the likes of Percy Jackson is the Maze Runner, we actually read the first book as it was a Kindle offer of the day before we went on the cruise and the film was OK, we just couldn’t help but think the concept had been done better in Sci-Fi cult classic Cube
We actually had not read the follow up books so went into this blind and as sequels go we probably enjoyed it a lot more than the first one but you can’t help but think that nothing really happens, this film certainly puts the Runner in Maze Runner as they just run from one thing to another
The film opens up with our original heroes (The Gladers) having just escaped the maze now in control of WICKED (“World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department” ) with the promise of being taken to a safer and better place that they’ve just faced
Aris, a member from another Maze shows Thomas, leader of the Gladers we shared the last adventure with shows that all is not as it seems as it now seems those being promised a better lives are being used for scientific experiments and they Have Teresa, the only female Glader from the original
A plan is made to escape and rescue Teresa as they head out into the Scorch, a desolate landscape where they face a race to survive in the heat as well as Zombie like creatures
As stated earlier, this film involves a lot of running, they leave the Wicked HQ by running into the Scorch, find safety in what appears to be an abandoned shopping centre but awake the Zombie creatures so run away to the mountains where they meet Jorge and his crew, who tells them to find Blondie, except this a trap so they have to run again eventually finding Vince and his crew for the films big climatic ending
Whilst the running etc does provide a film that certainly doesn’t drag but you can’t just help there is better to come with 3 more books in the series
The sequel certainly leaves you wanting to know what happens next and luckily for us the 3rd book has already been greenlit for a February 2017 release
So if you liked/loved the first one then we would suggest you take a trip back to the Maze
What do you think of the Maze Runner Series? What is your favourite YA series? Have you got a favourite series you would love to see made as a film (We are pleased to report our favourite Artemis Fowl is on its way)
We would love to hear from you and for more movie content you can find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/barkingmadaboutfilms
The Scorch trials is rated 12a and has a run time of 131 minutes
