The Maze Runner

Last night (this morning?) I went to the first screening of The Maze Runner in IMAX!   The movie is based on yet another adolescent series that many of my students are currently reading but I have been a fan of the novels by James Dashner for quite a while.  I really loved this adaptation.  In fact, maybe for the first time ever, I liked the film more than the book!  It definitely exceeded my expectations!  In a dystopian future, a sixteen year old boy named Thomas wakes up in a metal elevator with no memory of who he is or where he came from.  He is met by a group of boys who have been trapped inside an elaborate maze for several years.  He soon takes over the group and convinces them that they should risk the dangers of the maze to escape.   The glade inside the maze and the maze itself are very much how I pictured them when reading the book.  The movie is very dark and the sequences inside the maze are intense and often quite scary.  I would definitely not take children to see this movie.  At one point the maze moves vertically, almost trapping the boys, and I was literally holding my breath.  The Grievers (who guard the maze) are pretty terrifying and the atmospheric music during the maze sequences only heightens the suspense.  I was unfamiliar with much of the cast but the acting is excellent (not always the case in adaptations of adolescent literature) and I was very impressed with Dylan O'Brien (Thomas).  I was also impressed with the pacing of the movie because I was always completely engaged with what was happening on screen and I was left wanting more (the sequel is already in pre-production).  I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie (when I wasn't holding my breath and sitting on the edge of my seat), especially with the rowdy opening night crowd!  I highly recommend it, just not for children!