The film is based on the best-selling novel of the same name, unsurprisingly, is still the standard popcorn genre, in the visual effects, pacing and plot settings are noteworthy, science fiction elements do not really exist, the thriller is well done – of course, the traditional American style of a shock (this point is actually for the couple audience), and as The focus of suspense, although the film was spared no effort to render, but for individuals, or by the strong sense of vestigiality in the viewing diluted. When I saw the end of the film’s unsurprisingly so-called “revealing the truth”, it awakened a not-so-distant memory – this is exactly another movie version of Survivor Games. Good to see you again: The Hunger Games, Divergent, Heartland Panic ……
Although the clichéd settings are also a lot of, slightly relieved that there is no hard love triangle plot in the same type of film, but also because the main characters are boys and cater to the trend deliberately take the gay route. As a film nearly two hours long, the linear structure of the main point of view of the main male, although simple, but undoubtedly stronger sense of immersion. Considering the strong hint of “there will definitely be a sequel” revealed from the latter part of the film, the first film in the series is still doing a good job in laying out the characters and the background of the story, compared to the long and dull intro of the first Hunger Games to be more natural. To put it simply, the whole story is a sentence: a group of boys and a girl were put into a giant maze by amnesia, and under the leadership of the hero, everyone worked together to get out of the maze. Add one more sentence: this maze is the first level to test them on purpose, they will have to face greater challenges later.
The title is The Maze Runner, which translates to “the girl is soft na”, but unfortunately there is only one girl Teresa, and not only can not say soft, in addition to the role of the male lead to advance the plot even the basic sense of existence can not brush, but the boys in the personality of each outstanding glitter. The most prominent feature of the hero Thomas is bravery and fearlessness, of course, their own aura of protagonism is essential, another important reason that makes them stand out is that he was once the manager of the entire test, although washed memory, but after all, there is still a residual part, according to psychological theory, these experiences will at least make its psychological aspects than the other boys as rats are better prepared, these can be All of these can be attributed to the hangover. The whole group of boys Gladers (the word should be derived from the labyrinth in the forest Glade) of the head sheep Alby is a typical leader, mature and stable with a sense of the big picture and willing to sacrifice, but unfortunately in order to highlight the role of the hero not only because of poisoning in most of the time in the state of lying corpse, but also just after recovery by the night attack of the labyrinth monster Griever dragged away to eat lunch. Alby’s second-in-command, Newt, is a cute character with a sunny disposition and more affinity than others, and it is important to be sensible – on the side of the protagonist. The overall temperament belongs to the few words of the practical faction, although the face of the monster Griever abandoned the hero to run away seems a bit dishonorable (without the aura of the protagonist is who have to run), but the essence is brave and determined, otherwise it will not be to save Alby and choose to be trapped in the maze. Little fat Chuck is the team mascot, the main role is to sell cute, but unfortunately the amulet to let the protagonist to its parents – this is obviously the tree death flag ah feed. Of course there is Gally, in order to dramatic conflict and had to appear in the role of the villain paranoia, Bully (similar to the fat tiger) temperament is a full fear of breaking the rules of the conservative, always rare has always insisted on the detriment of others, this character trait can only be said that the plot needs. Some of the other dragons also performed well, including the defection of Jeff, poisoned Ben (never understood since the poison can restore memory, why Alby did not choose to tell everyone the identity of the protagonist, Ben may be tortured by the disease to even “you listen to my explanation” can not say, but Alby (…… well, the plot needs ~). A little regret is that, although the characters are vividly portrayed, but in addition to the male protagonist, the relationship between the other characters and there is no crossover, slightly thin.
The Mazer Runner is the Maze Runner / Runner, as the name suggests, should have shown the various runners in the maze of desperate survival, so I thought there would be more ink for the process of exploring the mysterious maze. But rather than this more game cartoon style of unfolding, the film chose to take a different route: the brave and fearless and luck and dodge skills full of the hero in the first night of the maze, in the case of never set foot in the maze to face the high level of wild beasts can be more than monkeys and apes, brave as a leopard chi dragons, a frightening Griever cut down the horse, no one has ever been able to escape and then successfully upgraded to a full-time job as a runner. We were also able to get a glimpse of the original maze during the thrill, which is actually a variety of stones that can be moved, excluding the monsters, there is basically no mystery. And after Minho is directly to the hero to the center of the battle: a good news and a bad news, the good news is that the map is drawn, the fog is open; bad news is no exit. Of course, the end of the mountain is always too smart for the hero when the darkness, from Griever wreckage found on the unidentified object and a digital display of 7 in the above, and then the two of them according to the map to successfully find the only possible way out that is the monster’s lair. Up to this point, the secret of the maze itself has been lost, and finally, in addition to the bloody battle Grievers, enter the code is some of the flying in the air. The hero’s quest is simplified into an RPG in Easy mode: enter the maze – kill monsters and upgrade – get the puzzle item – promote Runner — map all open — check the puzzle items to discover the numbers — find the monster lair. This linear solution in the reasoning test is basically the same as a giveaway question (anyway, it’s a stress test not an intelligence test = =), seemingly simple, but the key is to kill monsters, which really other people who lack the aura of the protagonist never dared to try or even imagine.
Throughout the film, the role of this huge and profound maze is mainly reflected in the psychological shock for people trapped, this shock for the loss of memory and came to a completely unknown world of young people is particularly strong. Fear because of the unknown. The companions who failed to return before the gates closed and were trapped in the labyrinth were lost after one night, and the Grievers, the monsters that hunted them and wandered in the late night labyrinth, became the most terrifying aspect of the labyrinth, turning into a nightmare and a source of stress for the others. After scratching the names of their companions off the stone walls over and over again, the trapped Gladers got the solution from the mark of death – a set of orders that would keep everyone alive, one of which was not to enter the maze privately. Safety first, even if it means never escaping until the protagonist appears …… These elements actually map the common features of many suspense thrillers – living on the run or facing up to fear to find a way out. The setting of the labyrinth is easily reminiscent of a famous bestseller years ago, “Who Moved My Cheese”, and reflects a very similar psychology, namely how to face change. One of the dwarves in that book is pessimistic and fears change in his life, while the other believes that change will bring better results and adapts positively. The logic is very simple, but whether in the parable or in the movie, there are still many people who will be bound by the framework of dogma.
For an individual, it is not advisable to change one’s own thinking and inherent ideas, but if one chooses to try, it may only take a flash of lightning to make a change; but in a group, there are more powerful forces from the world, rules, order, morality and law, which are rooted in the depths of other people’s consciousness, and it takes more effort and cost to make changes in the face of these constraints. When Minho helped Alby to the entrance of the labyrinth, and when the gate was about to close, everyone could only cheer outside the gate, but no one came forward to lend a helping hand. The main character Thomas is an exception, a rule-breaker, and like many rule-breakers saved everyone. Many times we ridicule Gally’s stream (excluding Gally’s later poisoning and sickness) of reform opponents simply because we are in God’s shoes: we know the protagonist will not die and the movie will definitely end well. But in reality, Gallys are the majority of people, they do not see the good side, they see the death of their companions, if they stay may still live more days. In the case of this film, the aura of the protagonists is indeed remarkable, suffered an intrusion after the system actually does not remain closed, the password used to escape is logical is the opening sequence of the eight areas and has long been Minho figured out – later we know that these are part of the test so the need to ensure the survival of survivors on Not surprisingly. If only in terms of probability, of course, those who remain in place may survive longer than those who fight for their lives in the maze. Like in Stephen King’s film adaptation of The Mist, where the protagonist chooses to bravely escape to a tragic end, those who choose to stay put because of fear are saved. Fear, conformity, and conservatism are in fact only protections given to us by evolution.
But there are still people who want to give up their comfort and question the rules, and there are still people who will put the 1% chance of success before the 99%. In the limited knowledge of the boundary conditions, although the wisdom to judge the feasibility of action is one of the conditions for success, and the courage to act is the prerequisite. Like “at least we die trying” advocated in the movie, even if some people choose to be happy with their lives, some refuse to leave because of cowardice like Gally, there will still be people like Thomas and others who are not satisfied with the present and choose to change, regardless of success or failure, they are the openers of expanding the boundaries of human cognition, and they are the pioneers of burning the will of life, which is also the message of countless This is the message and basic spirit that countless literary and artistic works try to convey.
In recent years, such works seem to be very marketable, from novels to movies, Divergent, Hunger Games, and many others are similar themes: teenagers, post-apocalyptic crisis, anti-utopia ……TV has always existed Survivors such programs that challenge human strain under extreme conditions. In addition to the primitive desire of modern people under the modern comfort of material life, one of the reasons is naturally the age ratio of the type of audience has been moving closer to younger, from 2010 to 2012, the proportion of people under 24 years old in the United States rose from 27% to 30%, the natural market for films with young people as the protagonists will be larger. And the post-apocalyptic crisis has been one of the mainstream of the Sci-Fi world, no way, the world is getting better and better where to find dramatic conflict; in addition, the financial crisis, the current state of society, the new generation of young people seem to be more and more pessimistic about the future (according to a survey in the United States), this kind of subject matter may also be more in line with the psychology of the audience. When there are many such works, it feels like the creation process may be very similar: first conceive a scenario, such as a survival game, or a maze, or a faction, and then throw it all into the post-apocalyptic future, and think of a reason why these poor teenagers are suffering and why they are using this form. For example, why do you need to create pressure to cover the maze (according to the end of the film to see this motive may be adulterated)? The use of technological means such as simulation stimulation is not more affordable? Too much money, too much land, the future of science and technology is too mysterious, engineering and construction kickbacks …… this and many speculative fiction common behind the simple goal of amazing design (such as building a building just to kill a person) as the same, the traditional and slightly old-fashioned gift with a dazzling complexity and gimmick wrapped. But as long as it is interesting, these are the details that do not need to care, just as the colorful biological forms but for the purpose of genetic reproduction, more attention will always be paid to the performance and development process, not to mention that many people just come to find excitement or look at the face of it.