Maze Runner: The Death Cure - An Explosive, Solid, Wild, Sci-Fi Winner

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Maze Runner: The Death Cure, from Twentieth Century Fox, presents the third installment in the wildly popular Maze Runner Franchise, with sharp, crisp stunts and special effects, unexpected twists and shocking turns and an explosive, climatic, finale.

Directed by Wes Bell, Maze Runner: The Death Cure stars Dylan O'Brien, Rosa Salazar, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Giancarlo Esposito, Barry Pepper, Ki Hong Lee, Aidan Gillen, Patricia Clarkson, Kaya Scodelario, Jacob Lofland, Will Poulter, Nathalie Emmanuel, Walton Goggins and Dexer Darden. Maze Runner: The Death Cure was adapted for the screen by T.S. Nowlin from the novel "The Death Cure" by James Dasher.

The film opens with Brenda, played by Rosa Salazar, and Jorge, played by Giancarlo Esposito, preparing to stop a train operated by WCKD, the pharmaceutical company searching for a cure for the Flare virus, carrying immune's back to the fortified city for experimental drug testing.

With Jorge driving and Brenda firing on the conductor's car, the train operators call in reinforcements, with Thomas, played by Dylan O'Brien, Vince, played by Barry Pepper, chasing the caboose. Soon the two have hooked a pull hook to the last car and unlatched the three cars carrying immune's prisoners.


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By this time WCKD fighter planes have arrived and Brenda and Jorge attempt to outrun them, drawing the firepower away from the train which has stopped. WCKD militia are bearing down on them as Thomas and Vince are trying to buy time with Newt, played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster, welding a hole in the car as they look for Minho, played by Ki Hong Lee.

What follows is the first of the all out wild stunts that Maze Runner: The Death Cure packs into this sequel.

When the resistors/Right Arm finally get the train car back to their new camp, the find Minho is not on the train. Thomas refuses to leave his friend in the hands of Jansen, played by Aiden Gillen, Ava Page, played by Patricia Clarkson and Teresa, a traitor to the Right Arm, played by Kaya Scodelario.

So without telling the others, he starts off to rescue his friend. His friends obviously know him too well, as Newt, and Frypan, played by Dexter Darden were waiting in the car and unwilling to take no for an answer.

With Fry driving, Newt riding shotgun, and Thomas on point giving directions, the three are looking at a tunnel, understanding the possibility of the Cranks, the walking dead, waiting inside. Frypan, a cautious driver, slowly makes his way around the debris and leftover remnants of civilization. The cranks rise from the darkened graves and the smell of flesh creates a feeding frenzy.

Rescued in the knick of time by Brenda, Jorge and Vince the six are now heading to the new city, a fortified gleaming modern metropolis, where WCKD rules and only those who are immune are welcome. Outside the gates are an army of rebels.

What follows leads up to an explosive, staggering and surprising ending.


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After seeing Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, I wrote '"Screened The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials - Courtesy of FOX - I must admit, this is very good, suspenseful, thrilling, lots of haunted house popups around every corner, leads to a finale that begs for the next installment! Really Good, Excellent in fact! See it, again, and again!"'

The powers that be obviously read my short blurb and decided to use the same template as Maze Runner: The Death Cure is a wild ride from the beginning chase sequences. Escaping and living quiet lives was never on the agenda for our Right Arm resistors as WKCD has stolen one and converted another. Loyalty is the unbreakable bond in the surviving members.

Anyone familiar with the Maze Runner stories will immediately pause at Brenda's character who appears healthy and recovering from her encounter in the Scorch Trials with a Crank who clawed her leg, leaving her diseased and near death. Her ability to heal is explained and along with another critical element in the story gives way for the possibility of a fourth installment.

Although promoted as the finale, the franchise begs for a fourth installment and only the box office receipts can determine if The Death Cure is the finale it's is billed or if another Maze Runner will have our team exploring other lands to find survivors of the Flare.

I liked everything about The Death Cure. The storyline, which some have been less than enthusiastic, carries the rescue theme throughout the film. The stunts, action sequences and explosions, are fresh, crisp, and energetic.

Without giving away any plot points, the ending, for me, had a powerful impact and quite possibly for anyone with any reference to any number of tragedies, recent and recent only in memory, the scenes will renew, without effort, the failure to plan for contingency rescues.

More than a bubble gum, popcorn, and an easy January box office winner The Maze Runner: The Death Cure fills the 182minute run time with fast moving plot points, death fights with the cranks, the WKCD militia, the pharmaceutical physicians who believe an immune life sacrificed for the good of society and the cure for all is acceptable price to pay in the quest to find a cure, the discovery of survival, endings and beginnings. A solid sci-fi film that will take up residence in households and family film libraries everywhere.

The Maze Runner: The Death Cure has powder keg action packed sequences, heightened suspense, edge of the seat thrills, jack-in-box pop ups, and a climatic ending.

Fans of the franchise can see The Maze Runner: The Death Cure, in the late screening, Thursday, January 25, and in theaters everywhere Friday, January 26, 2018.