Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of violence and action, some thematic elements, substance use and language.
Starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangstet and Giancarlo Esposito
Directed by Wes Ball (Maze Runner)
So this is nothing like the book…but it’s still pretty entertaining.
There’s more action, more excitement, and more spectacular effects in this thrilling new chapter of the epic Maze Runner saga that’s taken the world by storm! They may have escaped from the Maze, but Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers now face a greater challenge: searching for clues about the secret organization known as WCKD. Their journey leads them to the Scorch, a desolate wasteland filled with unimaginable dangers. The mystery deepens at every turn as the Gladers work together to discover their purpose and battle to survive in this adventure!
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is not a great film, but my son (who has read all the books) and I enjoyed it. According to him, this movie does not follow the book at all. I haven’t read the books so I can’t compare the two. But as a film, I thought it was pretty entertaining.
The film moves at a pretty quick pace and the action is intense. The special effects and filming are both exceptional. Whether it’s the wide shot of the characters stopping as they hear a gunshot in the distance or as they run through a violent thunderstorm, so many scenes just look so great. I even like the walking on the cracking glass scene…even though I’ve seen that before in The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
Unfortunately, the character development is a bit lacking in this two-hour-plus movie. And while the actors are fun to watch it was clear to me that this film was all about the action…not the story. Mostly because the script is a mess. The dialogue is less than thought through and they over did it with action movie clichés.
With a decent cast and a director who has a strong vision, The Scorch Trials is at the very least an entertaining film, and sometimes that’s all you need it to be…It’s worth “Renting.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity in this film, and the profanity is on the mild side. There are no F-words but over 75 S-words.
There are thousands of zombie-like creatures named ‘Cranks.’ They often appear as jump scares which may frighten younger viewers.
CONVERSATION STARTER:
- What are some of the challenges Thomas and the other Gladers face?
- How were they able to overcome those challenges?
- What are some challenges you are facing?
- How can you endure through those challenges?
Read James James 1:2-4
My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.