Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Aml Ameen, Kaya Scodelario, Blake Cooper, Patricia Clarkson

Directed By: Wes Ball

OK, so I wish I had come up with that idea. I’m not entirely sure where this goes as a franchise, but as far as a stand alone concept, I really wish I had thought of The Maze Runner. I really enjoyed that experience. Of course, the trailers ruin a lot, because you know he has to survive that night in the maze, because he hasn’t seen the girl yet, and it was in the trailers… and I just spoiled it for you, but it’s early in the movie. You didn’t actually think the lead character would die 30 minutes into the movie, did you?

Speaking of lead characters, Dylan O’Brien is very pretty. I completely understand why girls like him. Can he calm down now? He’s the shakiest kid I’ve seen in a film in recent memory. He’s got so much energy in him, like he captured the essence of Red Bull, that he spends most of the movie shaking. Watch him. He’s twitching around, like he needs to run a lap to calm down. He’s a kid that needs absolutely no more sugar in his life. Kaya though, needs some sugar. She’s currently running a campaign for most boring actress since Kristen Stewart. She even LOOKS like Kristen Stewart. She’s got the blank look down pat. If there’s ever a movie made about Kristen Stewart’s life, this girl will play her perfectly.

The supporting cast is really good though. Will Poulter is surprisingly effective as a muscle, despite me still remembering him as a twat of a person in Voyage Of The Dawn Treader. Aml Ameen is good in a breakthrough role, as is Ki Hong Lee. Neither actor is instantly recognizable, though I hope we see more from both in the future.

The ending gets a little wonky, as it starts to offer closure and then hits you with a “WE’RE PLANNING A SEQUEL!” and can’t wrap everything up quite nicely. I hope the sequel is as good as the first movie, because I have my instant doubts. I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say that The Hunger Games is less interesting without some form of The Hunger Games.

Definitely better than a September release has any right to be, and light years better than The Giver. Maybe Dylan will calm down before the sequel. Then again, he needs all that energy. He’s The Maze Runner.

FINAL GRADE: A-