(spoiler free)
Delayed by almost a year due to injuries sustained by lead star, Dylan O’Brien, ‘Maze Runner: The Death Cure’ has finally been unleashed into cinemas. The conclusion to the ‘Maze Runner’ series, adapted from James Dashner’s set of novels, sees Thomas (O’Brien) and co. attempt to rescue their friend Minho (Ki Hong Lee) from the clutches of W.C.K.D. (World Catastrophe Killzone Department). In the process they also plan to put an end to their rigorous & violent testing of immunes in order to find a cure for the deadly flare virus ravaging the world’s remaining population.
It’s refreshing to see the finale of a young adult series bucking the genre trend and not being split into two parts, with a running time longer than the previous two films in the series though would there be too much story to cram into one movie? Overall the narrative is appropriately satisfying for the final chapter of a series like this, it provides answers and is full of drama. The film begins with a fantastic pace however it has to be said, unlike its predecessors, the story does experience somewhat of a lull in it’s second act. This is necessary to a degree as there is quite a bit of exposition required but it is apparent that the writing slightly struggles to execute this succinctly. Nonetheless audiences will be rewarded for their patience in this section as the finale ramps things up to eleven. The climax to the film, and of course the series, is overflowing with suspense. It constantly elevates the drama in a compelling way and subsequently offers not only a tense & exciting finale but a truly emotional one. This element will of course be appreciated most by the fans of the series who’ve invested in the story & characters over the years. Although there are several sequences which it would be hard not to find emotionally involving even for newcomers to the series.
One of the best aspects of this finale is the action. The ‘Maze Runner’ series has exhibited some fantastic action set pieces in it’s previous two installments and is probably one of the best young adult series in terms of this element. ‘The Death Cure’ proves no different, the film opens with an adrenaline fueled rescue attempt which feels like ‘Mad Max’ meets the best of ‘Fast & Furious’ and paves the way for countless other thrilling set pieces. However, for the first time in the series on occasion these scenes maybe become slightly too elaborate or farfetched, edging dangerously close to the more ridiculous moments of the ‘Fast & Furious’ series. Thankfully this only occurs in moments of the film and not throughout and overall doesn’t compromise the highly impressive way in which these action spectacles are brought to the screen.
Often at the forefront of these scenes is the lead actor, Dylan O’Brien. He’s shown his commitment to this aspect of his performance evident by the injuries he picked up whilst filming. This series has shown what an impressive young action star he is. He carries these scenes brilliantly and creates an authentic atmosphere within them. Furthermore he gives one of the best dramatic performances of the cast as well, proving what a great casting choice he was for Thomas. He continues to be a thoroughly likeable main character, one in which its effortless for audiences as well as the characters to back. Much of the remaining cast are fine in their roles, they aren’t necessarily spectacular but they serve their purpose well for this genre. Other than O’Brien it’s Aidan Gillan’s villainous turn which stands out the most. Gillan develops his character and rivalry with O’Brien well creating an entertaining dynamic and providing a fully-fledged antagonist for the film where W.C.K.D. leader, Ava Paige has somewhat disappointed.
So whilst not as consistently as strong as the first two chapters of the series, and at times being kind of a hot mess ‘The Death Cure’ does offer an exhilarating conclusion to the grander narrative. The spectacular climax to this specific entry in the series makes up for the rest of the films shortcomings offering impressive action & emotion in equal measure. Completely sold by it’s main star, O’Brien, director Wes Ball has delivered one of the strongest young adult series we’ve seen in the shape of a thoroughly entertaining trilogy.
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 7.5/10
Question: What is your favourite final film in a young adult film series?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)
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