The Scorch Trials

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first movie. It had some really cool ideas. So I was pretty excited to see this one. I'm happy to report that despite a few flaws, The Scorch Trials was really good. 

The Scorch Trials takes place just minutes after the events of The Maze Runner. Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and the other Gladers have escaped the Maze only to face a world that's been nearly wiped out by a disease called the Flare. At the same time they are trying to discover more about WCKD, the mysterious that put them in The Maze in the first place. 

If you haven't already seen The Maze Runner, I strongly suggest you do before seeing this. Not that you'll be completely lost or anything but it helps you understand the characters and their motivations. 

I thought most of the actors performed well, especially the supporting cast. I swear there were times I felt more interested in what was going on with them than I did the main characters. Aidan Gillen (aka Littlefinger) plays Janson, a shady character who "rescues" Thomas and his friends but has other motives. He's a great actor who always seems to get roles like this. If I were a character in a movie and I saw him coming I would run in the other direction. 

I also really liked Rosa Salazar as Brenda. She kicked ass and had a lot of heart. And I felt like she had more chemistry with Dylan O'Brien than the actress playing Teresa did. The special effects overall were done well, with the exception of a few moments where it was obvious green screen. 

I liked there take on zombies, although in this universe I believe they're called Cranks. I can't really say that I cared for the look of them (I've seen it done WAY better) but I still found the whole thing fascinating. 

My only real complaint would be the pacing. At the beginning the movie felt a little rushed. But in the middle it really seemed to drag. Luckily the last 30 minutes or so more than made up for it. Very tense and lots of action. It sets things up nicely for the final movie. 

If you loved The Maze Runner then I think you'll really like The Scorch Trials. Yes, in a way it does resemble other franchises. But that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the final movie. 

My Rating: 8/10