The Maze Runner is a dark edge of your seat apocalyptic film with a very likeable cast

The Maze Runner movie is a lot darker than I thought it was going to be. And when I say that, I mean it's darker than The Hunger Games (which is surprising). I went last night with my friend Adam. Intrigued with the premise of mazes (and who doesn't like a good maze?); the entire time I watched it I kept thinking, "What could have possibly built this thing?" Adam must have been thinking the same thing because at one point he leaned over and said, "At least we know what Google has been doing with its money." Because seriously...it would have taken resources like the kind Google commands in order to build this maze of towering, movable walls.

I really enjoyed this film. The attractive cast aside, I felt that it revealed things perfectly. Not too much, not all at once. The characters see the maze the same as you or I would see it. First comes disorientation. A bit later is wonder, awe, and terror...all the time asking "Where am I?" and "Are my eyes deceiving me? Are those really 300 foot walls? Am I contained in a box? Who would put me in a box?" It's this element that lends the film a very "Attack on Titan" feel to it as you get the immediate impression that those walls may bar you from exiting, but they also protect you from something on the other side. Something of which you should be afraid. Something sinister and evil.

And that's where a good deal of the terror in this movie comes from. The idea that you are trapped, but to break free means to risk everything. After all, life in the center of the maze isn't too bad. You've got camaraderie among a group of compassionate young men, you've seemingly got enough food, and you've got enough resources to live. I went into this thing thinking that the story (or the author) might try to do a spin on Lord of the Flies, where young people/children end up being absolutely terrible to each other. But that isn't the case at all. Each of the characters seemed to legitimately care for the welfare of the others, and because of that, there was plenty to like in these characters as you rooted for them to get through this seemingly impossible maze filled with horrific monsters.

I am intrigued by the "big reveal" and want to know more. The ending is left wide open for a sequel, and (warning) there is an "info dump" that comes with the climax. Yes, you do get some answers about the maze, but I won't share them with you here. In that aspect, The Maze Runner is no different from its company among the YA Titans of the world. I just hope it does well enough in the box office that a sequel is greenlit. If not, then I guess I'll have to read James Dashner's books. Meh, I probably will anyway.