![]() ![]() The list of Scorch Trials repeating itself includes two injured friends who slow the group down, three occasions where main character Thomas refuses to go along with the others, at least four retreats from the same baddies, and countless last second saves from those same baddies. We’re taking you to the next recognizable character actor added to deepen a shallow part. This one movie uses this exact moment five times. While it’s nice seeing these actors and actresses pop up, the frequency of “We’re taking you to meet blah blah” and then here’s another recognizable actor has been used so many times in both Scorch Trials and every other recent YA adaptation that the only suspense is who’s gonna be the recognizable actor/actress this time. ![]() Then the characters are taken to a new authority figure who may or may not be honest and is played by a recognizable character actor entering the scene with some bold exclamation. Every location is an unknown place with a small safe zone that the characters must learn about before fleeing to the next location. Although at times stunning, particularly when outside of the dark corridors the film spends most of its time in, the world beyond the maze quickly becomes just another set of mazes. And this is where the repetition is the most tedious. Scorch Trials is essentially an overlong rush from one place to another. It’s the same stunt, only not nearly as interesting this time since, again, we’ve seen it done in this series and in so many other movies. In fact, the repeated elements only became truly clear once a lowering door created the exact same shot as the closing gate in the first movie. Yes, it’s repetition, but at least in this instance there is enough variation that it feels different from the first. There are the same restrictions of movement, the same violation of that restriction, the same type of authority figure making decisions which the characters can’t control or understand, there is a scene where main character Thomas makes a rush for an open door after being told not to. Once again none of the characters know very much about what’s happening. ![]() The maze of the first film is replaced by the facility of the second. Then, after the opening title card, the repetition begins. This is about as much screen time as some of these characters have. It’s a pretty good start which feels sufficiently different from the previous film. What follows is a well-staged action piece as the Glade Gang (Thomas, the girl, the British guy, the Asian dude that everyone likes, the African American guy, and the other guy who’s just sorta there) rush from their helicopter with soldiers covering them against a swarm of unknown attackers. The story picks up immediately after the conclusion of the first movie, even flashing back to main character Thomas being taken from his mother in a scene that’s extremely familiar from many other movies (remember I mentioned that, we’ll be returning to it). Going in to Maze Runner: The Scorch TrialsI expected some repetition, as that’s what sequels are built on, but after the first film effectively left the maze behind, there was the promise of at least something new.Īt first, The Scorch Trials does a fairly decent job of masking its repetition. Perhaps the reason we accept these (if we do) is because the individual stories are interesting enough and we see some level of growth from one year to the next. Same with Hunger Games as the first and second movie begin with forces conspiring to get Katniss into the arena, then the preparation for the games, and then the games themselves. Every Harry Pottermovie followed the same basic formula: threat arises that requires Harry and his buddies to find some object which will allow them to stop that threat and has some kind of tie to whatshisnoselessface. YA movie adaptations are especially obvious in their repetition. The worst sequels just recycle what they think worked in previous movies (*ahem* Jurassic World) and try to pass repetition off as clever. The best of them will have parallels, moments that ring as familiar in the minds of both the characters and the viewers, which illustrate the theme or demonstrate the characters’ growth since the previous installment. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |