Student Spotlight: The Maze Runner

by Nathalie Patangan

Imagine waking up confused in a dark, rusty cage, water dripping down as you lurch upward to the surface. As your eyes adjust to the light, you realize you’re surrounded by a group of boys. They whisper among themselves about something called a “greenie.” Curious and bewildered, you try asking questions, but no one answers. The only thing you can recall is your name. Nothing else from your past. A dark-skinned, muscular, bald boy from the crowd speaks up and says, “Ain’t no ticket back, bro.”

The Maze Runner movie is directed by Wes Ball, and he has done an excellent job making the movie faithful to the book. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, mainly in the middle of a large labyrinth called the Glade. The story follows a teenage boy named Thomas. He wakes up in the Glade with no memory of his past. He soon learns that he and a group of other boys are trapped inside the giant maze with him, filled with dangerous creatures — half animal, half machine — called Grievers. Every day, some of the boys, known as runners, go into the maze to find a way out.

As Thomas becomes more curious and braver, he starts to challenge the rules and uncover secrets about why they're trapped there. When a girl named Teresa arrives — the first girl to ever come into the Glade — everything begins to change. Together, Thomas and the others must face the maze, the monsters, and the truth about who or what put them there.

The film explores themes of trust, survival, and identity, as the characters struggle to understand who they are and why they were placed in the maze. Overall, this thrilling adventure shows how determination and unity can help people overcome even the toughest challenges. This movie would appeal to fans of other young adult series like Percy Jackson & the Olympians. Additionally, The Maze Runner is now available on Netflix since October, so feel free to watch it.