The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials

[prettyxcool]

Went to the special screening of this last night at Vue West End. Arrived at 5.40pm for doors at 6pm, and there was a huge crowd already milling outside with no sense of any queues, all holding their glossy tickets. They consisted mainly of teenagers. We were let in on the dot at 6pm, and SFF printout holders were directed to a table where they marked you down. Presumably keeping a tally. We kept our printouts to show the security guards to be let into Screen 2. Some people I spoked to outside who had no tickets were eventually let in to fill some of the empty seats. So perseverance and patience always works!

Sat around for a good hour though, before the stars were introduced and the Q&A. Having enjoyed such an interesting and entertaining Q&A at The Visit, that this in comparison seems quite washed out. They just did not have any answers to any of the questions, which was quite general anyway from the young audience. And the presenter's response as they sat squirming in their seats not knowing how to answer, "it's ok, you do not need to know everything"!

I was quite a fan of the first film, and was really looking forward to the second instalment. Sadly, I was left quite disappointed. It seems so different from the first, and dragged a bit with the zombie creatures, and feels like just one long chase. It also felt quite disjointed. Did not feel any connection between Thomas and Teresa. On leaving, I overheard someone remarked that it was so different from the book. 6/10

We were all given the book, so I had a glance at some of the pages, and read the last few chapters, and it seemed like a good read! Nothing like the film.

[TheBoySeggy]

Basically everything you just said! With no knowledge of the books, I really liked the first film. This one - not so much! It just felt "messy". Some parts Walking Dead, some parts World War Z, but never as good as either... and about 30 minutes too long.

5/10

[weliveandbreathewords]

they're not zombies they're cranks
ive heard really good things from fans of the books but meh feelings from those that havent im a bit worried about seeing it thursday now

[steve9872]

Cranks. What they have is a virus that literally eats brain tissue - slowly. Your personality slowly degrades until you become a monster and eventually die after many months. The virus itself is highly contagious and there is no cure. However the whole project is about finding a cure by figuring out how those few who are immune manage to resist having their brains destroyed.
Stage 1 was the maze, stage 2 is the scorch, stage 3 is the death cure.
Anything else I say about it ceases to be background and becomes spoiler.

[weliveandbreathewords]

*applaudes steve*
Nice to know im not the only fangirl for this series.

[prettyxcool]

Sorry, cranks! They look very zombie-like to me!

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Well poor Mary got killed and she seemed to have found the antidote? She said it takes months to take effect, but suddenly Brenda who got injected with the antidote was up and about within minutes to fight!

[elski]

They looked like zombies to me, and the reason the were in the maze still doesn't make sense to me.

And now the zombies have appeared the series could be renamed '28 years later' as it could fit in with the timeline of how it left off at 28 weeks later with the discovery of those that were immune.

[raj101]

Scorchio!

[canadian_turtle]

I read the books years and years ago when they initially were published so sorry if I am forgetting something, but from what I remember the reason they were in the maze was

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to stimulate the brains and observe how they solve the problem of getting out (there was a whole complicated map thing that I think never was mentioned in the film); all related to finding out what makes the immunes so different.

The Scorch Trials on the other hand, was basically a completely different film from the book. There is a MAJOR plot that really important to it all that is just left out and (from what I remember)

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Theresa and Thomas barely even spend time together as they each have their own separate storylines.

Still enjoyed the film a lot as well (as something separate from the books) though holy crap did they make the Cranks flippin' scary looking!

[silversarah]

Saw this on Monday at the fan screening too and absolutely loved it! I'm a huge fan of the books and the films and I think it's important to know that The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure are combined in this film and the next, so there are bits from both of the books in them. I love the direction Wes has taken these film in and can't wait for the next one.

As for the cranks, they were a lot scarier than I imagined in the book and

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I'm so happy they didn't talk in the film, like the books, cause that would have just freaked me out.

Winston's death scene broke my heart. Acting was superb in that scene.

One word to describe this film has to be intense, I don't think I've ever felt that tense watching a film in my life!