Maze Runner: Scorch Trials

Maze Runner is not designed to test your brains - there are telltale spoilers sprinkled all over the first half an hour of the film that pretty much tell you the storyline of the rest of the movie. Either case, your brain will be busy going into overdrive of panic and paranoia about stifling screams when the Cranks pop out to scare you.

One of the images come from Divergent, the other from Maze Runner: Scorch Trials.

The dystopian scenes seemed like a patchwork from Inception, Divergent and Hunger Games - something that I am disappointed to say because I actually pride Maze Runner for being original all this while. Granted there are some portions of the dilapidated buildings scene that were considerably impressive, on an overall, the set-up was not particularly exhilarating to watch. It surely did not sit well with me when the director/writer made the only minority in the group die, too (Not Minho because he is too popular, so predictability? Mega).

Min Ho had a lot lesser screentime, fighting power, and lines in the Scorch Trials. Probably because he ain't got enough water to drink in the arid conditions. At one point, the director tried to trick us into thinking that he died (I told you there's a spoiler in here) to which whispers rumbled through the theatres - "if he die now, I'm going to walk out of the theatre (and boycott the last movie)". Nice try.

As compared, Thomas was given much more emphasis, gets thrown into the leadership position but fails to lead them to anywhere or even forms any plans at all. Realistic points - 10/10, but audience is left wanting to be impressed... till the very end, nothing concrete happens...

Unfortunately, Teresa ends up being the antagonistic character, but not to my surprise. I've never liked her since she appeared, now she confirms my suspicions of her. Either first class acting, resting bitch face, or simply the sixth sense working its magic. The failing romance between Teresa and Thomas starts to grate on my nerves quickly, and my ruffled senses only got calmed when...

A very unnecessary scene, after which it transited conveniently to the next without any explanation.

Brenda appeared, and kissed Thomas (thereafter, not immediately of course). Take that, Teresa! Brenda is a super kickass survivor of The Scorch. When she strutted out onto the screen, I was grinning from ear to ear - she has the sass yo! She is effectively good at pushing the storyline along, not useless like Teresa The Vase, and fiercely loyal. My favourite character... after Minho.

I might be over-critical with the movie, but I just ran a check with Rotten Tomatoes which gave them a 38%. With a lackluster script, a rather naggy storyline, some cliched scenes/shots, awkward and unexplained transitions, the entire movie depends heavily on the success of the first movie. The only good thing about Maze Runner: Scorch Trials is that it reveals a bit more about WCKD, the antagonistic organization and how they aren't actually all that bad and there are reasons to support them as well. As opposed to Divergent and Hunger Games trilogies, Maze Runner does a good work at balancing the good and the bad and how everything is actually very, very grey. AND ZOMBIES CRANKS. By the way, there are occasionally some literal mazes, thrown in as if they are an afterthought of trying to stay on topic.