“The Death Cure,” the third installation in “The Maze Runner” series, debuted in theaters this weekend. It was a much anticipated release following the setback of main actor, Dylan O’Brien, following a major injury while filming a stunt for the film in March of 2016, pushing filming back a whole year while he recovered.
Because of how far the plot diverged from the original books in the release of “The Scorch Trials” in late 2015, fans weren’t expecting to return to the original plot of “The Death Cure” in this weekend’s release.
Although fans knew they wouldn’t be getting a direct translation from the novel series, they did receive a continuation of a series dedicated to the survival of the Gladers from WCKD, specifically seeing how Thomas (O’Brien) and Teresa’s (Kaya Scodelario) relationship ended up, following her betrayal of the Gladers for WCKD.
Just like “The Scorch Trials,” “The Death Cure” doesn’t shy away from showing off the Flare virus through make-up on Cranks, which resemble zombies, but with some ability to recollect human memories. Without these in-depth looks at Cranks, some of the fear the characters show against them would be lost on audiences.
These two latest installations are action-packed, especially “The Death Cure.” The movie begins with a planned heist of a train containing children supposedly immune to the Flare.
The group plans the heist because they are in search of Minho (Ki Hong Lee) after being separated in the prior movie. Although they do not capture Minho in the opening scenes – because if they did, there wouldn’t be a third movie – the group finds themselves, with Thomas in charge, leading them on an expedition to The Last City.
The Last City is barricaded from the outside world, some humans and some Cranks. These walls and the city strangely echo the world of Panem from “The Hunger Games” and Chicago from “Divergent,” although the similarities end there.
WCKD has built these walls as a barrier from the Flare while attempting to work on a cure inside the walls, which requires the blood of the immune, like most of the Gladers. This is where audiences find Teresa, using Minho’s blood in an attempt to find a cure.
The real action begins when Thomas, Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), Brenda (Rosa Salazar), and Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito) encounter their old Glader friend, Gally (Will Poulter), outside of The Last City’s walls. All thought he had died after Minho speared him during their escape from the Glade in “The Maze Runner.”
Gally, after getting punched by Thomas for killing his friend Chuck (Blake Cooper) during their attempted escape from the Glade, decides to help the group make their way into The Last City, in an attempt to save Minho from certain death.
After entering the city, the group concoct a plan to kidnap Teresa, getting all of their needed information to access the building where the children, Flare serum and Minho are being housed.
From this point on, “The Death Cure” is jam-packed with unending action. Every twist and turn of the film had audiences on the edges of their seats, waiting for the next twist to pop up and surprise them.
Although the film didn’t exactly take the route that fans had hoped for, the plot of the third film was perhaps the least confusing, being the easiest to follow. The two prior movies had set up for one epic conclusion, and “The Death Cure” did not disappoint.
Perhaps it was because of the delay that “The Death Cure” had following O’Brien’s accident, or the affect that the movie had in keeping audiences on the edges of their seats, but this installation in “The Maze Runner” series had audiences pulling for the end of WCKD, especially for the end of torture for those immune to the cure.
Although there are two other novels associated with “The Maze Runner,” it is highly doubted that any other novels will be transcribed into a movie. For now, Thomas and his adventures against WCKD are the ending to a series many followed with the original novel’s release in 2009.
For students looking for a movie that will not leave them confused, but rather emotionally invested and following the never-ending action of the film, heading over to see “The Death Cure” during its run in theaters is a must.
