Now in a remote fortified outpost, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), Frypan (Dexter Darden) and Winston (Alexander Flores) find themselves in further danger when they uncover another plot by the mysterious organization WCKD. Now with the help of a new ally Aris (Jacob Lofland), the Gladers must stage an escape into the Scorch, a barren landscape filled with obstacles and swarming with virus-infected people called Cranks. Their only hope is to find a group known as the Right Hand, a group of fighters who can help them in their battle against WCKD.
If you came here looking for some semblance of a story, then you’re in the wrong place. I will say that I have not read the series of books in which this film is based but I have seen the first film and I enjoyed it. To me, this film has forgotten all that made the first film good, the camaraderie, figuring out the maze, and uncovering the mystery of why they were there. Albeit they are no longer in a maze but I thought this film had none of the other things. Camaraderie takes a backseat here as Thomas’s friends are relegated to the background and the story is often silly and full of plot holes. Being where they are in the story and where this film fits in the series, they tried to expand the film’s world and tried to dazzle us with more action sequences and special effects but I felt that the story got lost in the shuffle. This film is also a little different tone-wise when compared to the first film but I didn’t mind that as much. I just think that it tried to be many things but did not do any very well. It’s sometimes an adventure film, an action film, a drama, and a science fiction film. To me I felt like I was watching teenagers running away from things for 2 hours. I lost count how many times I’ve heard characters utter such phrases as “Come On” and “Let’s Go”. This is type of environment unfortunately leaves little room for simple plot development making the camaraderie from the first film irrelevant as little time was used for characters to have conversations with one another in order to further develop some more camaraderie amongst each other. The story, more so than the first film, did feel cliche at times, making it predictable. At others, I found myself getting frustrated with certain characters going back to the plot holes and questioning their motives. It’s unfair but also fair but being the second film of the series, it will always be compared to the first but it’s still the second film so it has to try to continue with what the first film started. I don’t think it did. I came in with high expectations after the first film but I ended up leaving slightly disappointed. Dylan O’Brien’s Thomas at least made it watchable for me.
Score: 5/10
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
