Amidst the trend of female protagonists in a dystopian setting, The Maze Runner stands out with its strong male lead. Written by James Dashner, The Maze Runner falls under the category of dystopia, but it’s premise, plot, and characters contrast starkly with other books within the same genre. The first book within a trilogy, The Maze Runner is followed by The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure. Recently, director Wes Ball decided to take the book onto the big screen.
As with all book-to-movies, I was convinced the movie would not do the book justice. Especially with such a unfathomable, larger-than-life setting, I was sure The Maze Runner would be a difficult book to transform into a movie. However, after watching the movie, I can confidently say I was very impressed.
The Maze Runner follows Thomas, a sixteen-year old boy with no memory thrust into a literal maze along with a mass of other boys. The boys form a society, with their main purpose being to survive while trying to find a way out of the maze. When Thomas arrives, the long-standing, organized society of the boys begins to crumble as Thomas pushes to find the truth behind the maze.
The book was a thoroughly engaging read; I couldn’t put it down. Unlike most other novels, where there is a lengthy description at the beginning, The Maze Runner leaves the reader just as disoriented and curious as the characters. The reader never knows more than the characters within the book. To my satisfaction, the movie functioned similarly. The movie also gave a sense of intensity that was prevalent in the book but had more of an impact on the screen; the soundtrack and special effects added to the emotional experience of the movie.
The only quarrel I had with the movie was the lack of character development and interaction. The actors, particularly Dylan O’Brien as Thomas, brought the characters to life beautifully. However, some of the relationships and emotions that the reader could relate to while reading the book were lost in the film. The budding friendship between the younger, innocent Chuck and Thomas didn’t have the same endearing quality in the film, and the connection between Teresa and Thomas wasn’t emphasized nearly as much as it should have been. The movie also felt substantially more rushed than the book, but I did anticipate this because movies can never encompass the entirety of a well-written book in only two hours.
Content-wise, the movie included almost every important scene from the book. I was satisfied with the director’s choices in what to keep in the movie and what was not as important.
The Maze Runner was an enjoyable and authentic movie adaptation of the book. Apprehensive fans of the book need not worry. I can’t wait for the movie adaptation of The Scorch Trials.
