There are many good reasons to watch The Maze Runner. One reason is that it's based on a novel & that book is widely regarded as one of the best young adult books of all time. Second, the film's foundation in science fiction ensures that it will provoke deep thought in audiences.
The release of a film with so many unexpected turns, both plot & otherwise, is rare. It's intense & tense, yet it's also fascinating enough to see on movie night. The film follows 16-year-old Thomas, who wakes up in a rusty elevator one day & has no memory of how he got there.
Thomas & the other guys were put there to find their way out of a maze that was constantly shifting. They've organized into a community whose members take turns being “Runners” & failing miserably at finding a way out of the camp before nightfall. Are you scared?
Okay, maybe a little bit, especially if you're the type who takes great pleasure in domestic conveniences. The PG-13 film, distributed by 20th Century Fox, immediately became a must-watch for many. The two sequels of The Maze Runner are a great place to start if you liked the first film in the series.
In case you're in the market for something completely different, though, I have some suggestions for you. Remember, though, that some of these may be inappropriate for a younger audience. Here is the list of the top 10 Movies Like Maze Runner.
10. Inception
Christopher Nolan wrote, produced & directed the science fiction action thriller film Inception in 2010. Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a corporate espionage expert who breaks into his victims' minds to steal sensitive information.
A Japanese businessman hires Cobb & his crew to conduct Inception on his competition, but instead of stealing an idea from him, they put one in his head. As soon as the squad sets out on the assignment, they are plunged into a nightmare that comes to life.
9. Lucy
Lucy is a typical twentysomething lady; she's daring but hasn't had much luck in love. Her life is turned upside down when the man she is seeing introduces her to a potentially lethal exchange.
After consuming the mysterious medicine, she transforms into a formidable adversary. In her pursuit of those responsible for distorting her world, Lucy finds herself in situations that need her to use her superhuman abilities.
8. Bird Box
Based on Josh Malerman's novel of the same name, Susanne Bier & Eric Heisserer's Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic thriller released in the US in 2018. Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Douglas Smith, Danielle Macdonald & Lil Rel Howery are among the cast.
A mother & her two children travel through a world invaded by creatures that attack everyone who sees them while blinded in this horror flick. Although it received mixed reviews from reviewers upon its December 2018 release, the film was a commercial success.
7. The Battle Royale
One of the most divisive movies of all time, this Japanese action thriller is not for the faint of heart. As in, “It's probably better left to the adults!” The movie was prohibited in the US for a short time after its release because it depicts a group of junior high school children being forced to fight each other for the sake of the Japanese totalitarian government.
But it hasn't prevented others from watching it, of course. Battle Royale is a great choice if you have thick skin and are a true cinephile.
6. The Village
The events of The Village occur in a mysterious settlement in the middle of the woods. The humans & monsters who reside in those woods have an agreement. Neither humans nor monsters will venture into the adjacent forest. Basically, it prevents the locals from leaving their homes & interacting with the outside world.
Until one of them goes outside to get some medicine, everything is going according to plan. As mysterious creatures begin showing up in the town and tormenting the locals, all hell breaks loose.
5. Days of Heaven
The film Days of Heaven is a love drama set in 1916. Plot-wise, Bill & Abby is on the run & winds up working for a wealthy but reticent farmer by posing as his siblings. Bill learns that the farmer has just a year to live, so he proposes to Abby in order to inherit the farmer's wealth.
It's a wonderful story, yet there are also disturbing moments throughout Days of Heaven. The movie's visuals, soundtrack & director have all received a lot of praise. The movie has some of the same saddening effects as The Maze Runner.
4. Ender's Game
One of the most significant science fiction novels of all time was written by Orson Scott Card & it served as the inspiration for Ender's Game. Although the novel's characters are young, Gavin Hood's adaptation does not soften the novel's stark criticism of the dehumanizing effects of militarization, especially on children.
Ender (Asa Butterfield) is a young man whose strategic thinking is called upon to protect Earth from extraterrestrial invaders, just like Thomas in The Maze Runner was called upon to lead a generation of leaders to save the future.
3. The Dark City
The story centers on a man who suddenly finds himself with no recollection of the previous day. Rather than having time to accept his predicament, he finds out that he is a wanted criminal. In a weird city where it never gets light outside & everyone goes to bed at midnight, he begins to suspect something is amiss. Have his faculties deteriorated too much?
Once you've seen the horror/science fiction film Dark City, it's not easy to forget. The story moves quickly & doesn't linger on establishing its world or its characters. The initial few seconds are the most exciting. The ending will have you scratching your head since it is so convoluted & unexpected.
2. Divergent
Taking place in a post-apocalyptic dystopian Chicago, the Divergent series of young adult novels have a similar feel to that of The Maze Runner. The ruling elite in the show forbid citizens from acting of their own volition.
Tris (Shailene Woodley), the protagonist of the Divergent series, is also 16, like the protagonist of The Maze Runner. If you like Divergent, you should continue the series with Insurgent. As Allegiant did poorly at the movie office, the producers decided to cancel the fourth installment.
1. The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner are often contrasted because both feature young people thrust into an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous setting. Jennifer Lawrence's breakout role in the first Hunger Games film is only one of several that have made her a cultural phenomenon. There was a book series that the 2021 picture was based on, and subsequent movies in the series did well.
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