Fox
Hey, look! It’s a YA movie! Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland! Where a special/chosen boy and girl arrive on the scene in order to save the day! How unusual.
And, yes, that picture from the movie makes it feel a lot like the second coming of “Lord of the Flies.”
On the other hand, this trailer for The Maze Runner has a lot going for it. At least as a question mark pulsing with action.
This take on the recent YA book phenomenon is being directed by first-timer Wes Ball, who is a visual effects artist by trade (and has directed some shorts) is making the leap to features in a big way here. Yet, it’s almost standard operating procedure to question whether each next YA project will be the next big YA project. This, despite the shoddy batting average of the genre and the giant pile of similarities that each new take brings.
That’s the real concern here. This trailer looks good, but it also looks like a microwaved box of leftovers from every other property like it. Having not read the books it’s based on, can it do enough to differentiate itself?
And will people with a fear of tight spaces be able to watch it without crying in the fetal position?
The Maze Runner hits theaters September 19th.
