Director - Wes Ball
Disappointing sequel to the enjoyable first Maze Runner film. Picking up where that film left off the surviving kids find themselves chased from location to location trying to find figure out who can be trusted along the way. Whereas the first film had momentum this one just plods, the savvy plot twists of the original are sadly absent too. So what we end up with is a road movie that goes nowhere. Missed opportunity.
Director - Wes Ball
Dystopian teen flick. Bunch of teen boys find themselves in a huge clearing surrounded by high walls on the other side of which is a vast ever-changing maze. Food and provisions are sent in to them at regular intervals, so the big question is should they stay or should they try and escape? It's Logan's Run meets Lord of the Flies filtered through modern Big Brother culture. It's also one of the many slew of teen flicks that have arrived on screens in the wake of The Hunger Games. The Maze Runner rattles forwards at a fair old pace, the acting is pretty good (especially Will Poulter) and visually it's quite a treat too. Bit too scary for anyone not quite into their teens, but otherwise perfectly good Saturday night fluff.
Director - Michael Haneke
Haneke’s post apocalyptic (or should that just be apocalyptic?) film about how rapidly society breaks down when things go tits up. It starts off in much the same way as Haneke's earlier masterpiece Funny Games (1997), with a family arriving at their summer house only to find it already occupied. Isabelle Huppert carries the majority of the first half of the film, before falling into the background for the final half. Rape, murder and animal cruelty. You’ll need a shower afterwards. As always with Haneke this is essential viewing.
