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Films for Thoughts on Thursday: The Maze Runner


This is a weekly meme that I am hosting here at Reviews from a Bookworm. To take part all you have to do is share a movie review once a week, link back to Reviews from a Bookworm and add your link to the linky tool.

FYI

I know I've been absent the last three days, no new posts or reviews, and I'd like to pretend it's because I was off having some semblance of a social life , but I'd be lying. I was ill! And then once I returned to not feeling like crap, I had to go back to work. So I just didn't have the time, energy or patience to write any posts. But... I'm back. For now!

This weeks movie review will be for:


The Maze Runner

Be aware: Some book spoilers but not movie ones.

Before we get into the movie review, I think I should point out that I read and reviewed The Maze Runner by James Dashner. And I hated it. I hated it with a fiery passion that is still burning now. I just have to think of that book and I internally scream in anger and frustration. Such a brilliant idea for a book that was just not pulled off well. I can't even begin to go into everything that was wrong with that book, but if you want to know then you can find my review here. The basic story though: it sucked!

And in gif form, this is basically me when reading the book.


You might be wondering why I then decided to see the movie if I hated the book so much. And I had a few reasons for that. Others who had hated the movie with as much passion as me had seen the film, they said it was so much better than the book. And secondly, like I said earlier, the idea behind The Maze Runner was good, it just wasn't properly executed. I was hoping they would change a lot and turn the movie into what the book should have been. Well, did they succeed...



Okay.
Okay.
Okay.

THEY DID!


Thank fuck for movie adaptations! They might have the power to utterly disappoint you and crush your fangirl heart, but they also have the power to turn a bad book into a really good movie. This could be because the story just plays out better on screen or it could be that they pretty much change the whole thing. The Maze Runner is one of those times when I can confidently say that the movie is way better than the book. I was surprisingly happy with it and I am so pleased I decided to go see it, despite how I felt about the book.

What I liked:

To whoever wrote the screenplay.
The changes! There were a lot and I was pretty pleased about all of them. Whoever wrote the adapted screenplay, have a round of applause from me. You did good! In all honesty, to me at least, it felt like it was the basic of basics that they kept the same and they changed most other events. We didn't have to deal with everyone telling Thomas to shut up and stop asking questions,. They actually told him things. Hooray! We didn't have to deal with the ridiculous telepathy element being dropped in halfway through the story. Hooray! The Grievers don't look like weird slugs mixed with machine elements that roll everywhere. They even manage to be a tiny bit scary. Hooray! No silly maps of every section of the maze and long scenes of them trying to find letters in it! Hooray! I actually felt like I got to know the characters. Hooray! This is one of those adaptations where I am beyond pleased that they changed so much. 

The casting! 



I was so happy with the casting for this film! The book left me feeling like I didn't get to know any of the characters. There were some I could tell I could like, if I was given the chance to actually get to know them, and if their characters had a bit more to them. But the book characters all felt really flat. Thankfully they are really brought to life on the screen. I loved Thomas, I thought Dylan O'Brien was the perfect choice for him. Blake Cooper made the most awesome Chuck, I just loved him! It was so nice to see them make Minho a braver character than what he was in the book. I had a lot more respect for his character because of it. And, can I just say, thank god they didn't keep Theresa in a coma for half the film or that would have annoyed me. This way we actually get to know the character before all the action starts to happen.

The pace! I thought the book was really slow going and not what I'd been expecting. I'd seen adverts for the trailer and assumed it would be an action-packed book. It wasn't. Thankfully they changed that for the film and picked up the pace. They got rid of all the time that was wasting with Thomas trying to get answers, only to be told to shut up. They made the Grievers a lot more scary and badass, so when they attack, they attack hard. There was some necessary info-dumping at the beginning of the movie, but after that I felt the movie was all action, action action.


It wasn't the book! 
Hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhaha!


What I didn't like:

The ending! The ending was completely infuriating in the book because it just didn't make a whole lot of sense. The reason for them being in the maze didn't make sense. The answers you spend the whole book waiting for just lead to way more questions. It was confusing and didn't really make any sense. They changed it in the book, but the general idea is the same and it still makes no sense. Hopefully they will explain it more and better in the next film.


7/10 Butterflies

I was ridiculously pleased with The Maze Runner film! A brilliant adaptation, where they managed to turn a crap book into a decent film. My main issues with the film were aspects that were caused by the many plot holes that irked me in the book. They took the main idea of The Maze Runner book and managed to execute it well, something that wasn't managed in the book. They basically managed to do what they book could have been if the concept was given to someone who had a clue what to do with it. I was really pleased with the film and plan to continue the film series, whilst avoiding the book series. I don't need that kind of suffering in my life!


In my blogoversary post I posted my giveaway to celebrate 1 year of blogging. I am giving one winner the chance to win up to £40 worth of books of their choice from Book Depository. I am also giving one runner up a book of their choice, worth up to £10 from Book Depository.





Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers: 2/5 Review
Top Ten Tuesday: New Series I Want To Start
The Maze Runner by James Dashner: 2/5 Review
Films for Thoughts on Thursday: The Equalizer
Five Friday Favourites: Favourite Book Cover Trends
My Weekly Book Haul: 25/10/2014
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith: 3/5 Review


28 comments:

  1. I have decided to give up on the book entirely and just watch the movie instead. I am glad you liked it so much better but...the ending has me worried. I do wonder if this is one of those series (even movies) that you need to read/watch them in succession to truly get everything.

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    1. I am really curious about how the series will continue. I've read the summaries of every book and they just sound like they get worse as they go along. But hopefully they make more changes in the sequels and pull it off. I'm really excited to continue the movie series.

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed the film more than the book :)

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  3. So happy you enjoyed the movie! I've heard of a lot of people who didn't like the book but thought the movie was great. I'll definitely be watching the movie soon!!

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    1. I really enjoyed it, I'm actually itching to rewatch it! Another trip to the cinema might be needed, haha!

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  4. Oh, I'm so glad you thought this was good! Because I, too, did not like the book at all, though I do plan on seeing the movie. (Mainly because I love Dylan O'Brien, but the trailer looks awesome too.) So it's a relief to see that I might actually enjoy it considering the book was a massive disappointment for me. :)

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    1. I loved the movie, really hated the book. I've actually been itching to rewatch the movie. I would even go pay to see it again at the cinema, if it's still playing. I hope they get the DVD out asap!

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  5. Wowzer! I'm surprised by this change of events, film over book? It happens, but I'm wary now of the series completely, avoiding the books unless someone literally hands me perfect condition ones without strings attached, this is how I feel.. yet, great review! AND I'm glad you're feeling better hunny, don't push too hard, be positive :)

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    1. The movie was just sooooo much better than the book. Probably because they changed so much of it. I am so desperate to see the film again, will definitely be getting it on DVD as soon as I can.

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  6. Yay! I'm excited to go see thing, I've been dying to go but have not had the chance. Love Dylan.

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  7. I am so glad that you managed to enjoy the movie more than you did the book! Yes, they did change some things, and the casting was amazing <3 Brilliant Thomas, brilliant Newt and Alby. I also really liked Minho's character. The ending was a bit... ugh. And I didn't really like the first half of the movie because I thought it was a bit slow... but then it picked up a bit and I like the movie more ^.^ I wonder if this means you will be watching or reading the second book?

    http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/10/nightmare-before-christmas-notd.html

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    1. Me too! I wouldn't read the next book if someone paid me, haha! I read the summary and it sounded awful as it was. But I will 100% be continuing the movie series.

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  8. Yay! You liked the movie! ;) I actually did really, really like the book. I totally understand the frustration of people who don't like books that lean so heavily on their sequels (which The Maze Runner does; you can't just read the one book; you have to read them all, because the answers to those burning questions are given over the course of, well, all of the sequels). But I personally did like the book. And I also adored the movie. :) I liked the changes, the casting, the sets, the atmosphere and the sound effects and the music - all of it. But you may find the next one frustrating, too, because not all of the answers are given. That's saved for the third one! :)

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    1. Haha, I don't think someone could pay me to continue the book series. I will 100% be continuing the movie series though. I read the book summaries and wasn't really satisfied with the answers we're given, but hopefully I will enjoy the next film.

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  9. The ending isn't really suppose to make sense unless you keep reading. :/

    I saw this movie too and thought it was good, better than the book and I liked the book ok. Loved reading your review of the movie after reading your review of the book. Liking the movie better than the book, especially tat much better, is rare. I'm glad it worked out for you tho!

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    1. I know, which is far less frustrating in movie form than in book form. I understand it's not supposed to completely make sense. But I've read the plot summaries for the next two books and I don't feel they answer the questions very well either. I wasn't satisfied with the answers we got. I hope the movie version improves on that though.

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  10. Well now. You really don't see that happening too often and the movie being better than the book! Might have to check it out :)

    And glad you're feeling better. Quite a few bloggers I know have been hit the last couple weeks with this or that. So not fun.

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    1. I really did love it so much more than the book, it surprised me just how much. I'm really looking forward to the DVD release so I can watch it again.

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  11. Yay! Now I can go see the movie! I've been going back and forth because like you I hated the book. Thanks for the review!

    Emily @ Follow the Yellow Book Road

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    1. Haha, well then I really hope you like it. I preferred the movie, it was so much better than the book.

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  12. I agree. The movie was much better than the book. I'm curious about book two, but I don't know if I'm curious enough to read it. I may just wait for the next movie to come out.

    Dreams @ Once Upon A Dream Books

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    1. I was curious enough to read the book summary and it does not sound appealing. Neither does book three. I will continue the film series though, since they did such a brilliant job with the first book.

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  13. I'm glad you liked it!! I was also surprised that I enjoyed the film so much (dunno why) and I'd definitely recommend it. =]

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    1. Me too, I'm so excited to get the dvd so I can see it again. Also curious to see what they do with the sequel.

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  14. I actually enjoyed the movie more than the book too. I think the main reason is that the book was so filled with action that it lacked character development and I could never picture what was going on. So what didn't work in the book totally worked in the movie. Glad you liked it! ~Pam

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    1. Haha, I felt the exact same way. I found it much easier to connect to the characters in the film. They did a great job of including all the action but also taking time to pad out the characters. Excited to see what they do with the sequel.

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