This story is loved by many and recently became a motion picture. I procrastinated in watching said film because how much I enjoyed the book. I didn’t want a sub-par movie to ruin it for me. So last night, my husband and I decided enough was enough and watched The Maze Runner (since owning it from it release date).
The last time I read The Maze Runner was in June 2014 so I went in with vague memories of the whole story and not exact details. So today, I reread the book to see if there were glaring problems that I missed. There were a few. With that said I really enjoyed the movie. Sure, some of the lines were a bit cheesy and yes, they simplified the plot line--but when do these things NOT happen in books to movie adaptations?
Differences that I really noticed:
1. The Maze is a code not a sequence. I understand why they changed this, and in the scheme of things it didn't change the plot dramatically at all. Not that big of a deal.
2. Getting stung by a Griever=death sentence. I remembered in the book that multiple people lived through a sting, but they kept it the same that without the serum it was a death sentence but the Gladers had the serum the whole time. Again, not that big of a change, more dramatic.
3. No electricity?! In the book water came mysteriously to them, they had fridges, electricity, and basically all the essentials needed to survive comfortably. In the movie, it was far more reclusive with only fire power and wood huts. Part of me liked it better coming from an aesthetic point of view; the scientific part of me is screaming "uncontrolled variables". WICKED would not allow that much up to chance.
4. The Griever Key. WTF?! Seriously, they worked so hard in the book to figure out how to escape and the movie just makes it seem so simple, with a lot more running. I guess they were trying to justify the name.
5. Open top maze? If people were trying to save them with a helicopter and the maze was just open to the world, why didn’t the rescuers just go to the Glade and skip all the drama. Oh yes, because in the book there were enclosed.
6. Lack of Psychological Warfare. In the books while things seem to happen overnight, the sun disappearing, the doors staying open, and the Grievers only taking one person, the durations of the events were longer and took a larger toll on the boys. The movie went with some of these but not much of it affected their psyche because they condensed the time line, understandable but you don’t really get to witness the breaking down of a lot of the Gladers.
7. Dear God, Teresa. Well, I don't know if it is the actress, the writing or what but MovieTeresa was obnoxious. She kind of a smart ass in this book but in the movie she throws things and throws a tantrum. There isn't that connection between her and Thomas, so that was disappointing. She is also a bigger part of the story than they let on in the movie.
8. Gally and his plot line? What?! For someone who isn't in the book that much he had a huge part in the movie. Not to mention how did he get out of the Maze. He was so adamant about non-runners going into the maze he found his corresponding sector fairly quickly and knew the sequence that only Minho knew, but who is nit-picking those details?
Those were the biggest issues I had with the plot of the story and the changes they made. I thought the filming style was okay, not Oscar worthy but at least there wasn't excessive shaky cam (i.e. The Hunger Games). Also, the acting may not have been the best and some of lines were extra-cheesy but when it comes to book to movie adaptations I thought it was quite well done, it kept both me and husband engaged, and has us looking forward to the next one.
I did however like the book better, there was a longer story line and more in depth views to Thomas' thoughts regarding the Glade which I feel are quite important. The code with in the maps I think truly proved that the Creators were looking for the most the best and brightest. In general the storyline was more complex and thought provoking. I have yet to read The Scorch Trials so we shall see if they screwed anything up in the movie for the next book.
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