by Dinah Aguilar ‘19

“The Maze Runner” series by James Dashner is the last in the era of dystopian future teen novels and movies. The series revolves around Thomas who was mysteriously dropped into the middle of a maze, called “the Glade,” along with several other teenagers who have no recollection of their previous lives.

After the first two movies in which Thomas and his friends Newt, Minho, and Teresa escape the Glade and pass through trials under the evil organization, known as WCKD, while battling a killer disease, known as the Flare, that turns people into zombie-like creatures, the last installment of series deals with a rescue mission and the search for a successful cure with the final hope to get answers.

While those walking into the theater to watch “The Death Cure,” did not expect much, as the last two movies did not live up to the hopes of the fans of the novels, viewers were pleasantly surprised by an action packed, fast-paced vibe. But much like the book, the movie’s characters, especially Thomas, lack personality.

Other than a couple scenes where someone dies or a plot twist is revealed, Dylan O’Brien rarely delivers a facial expression or even speaks more than a few sentences at a time.

Unlike “The Hunger Games” or “Twilight,” “The Maze Runner” fandom has not exactly been itching for the release of the new film. When the first “Maze Runner” came out, there were popular teen actors, a thriving genre, and a popular series that allowed for a multiple movie franchise, but after the hype died down so did the number of fans.

“The Maze Runner” and the second movie “The Scorch Trials” were not very successful in accurately following the plot of the books, making fans feel like they are not missing out by not watching the movies.

To an era of Dystopian young adult novels and movies, “The Death Cure” is a sufficient conclusion.

Grade: B