Here’s the thing about The Maze Runner

****Heads up! Spoilers ahead!!

This morning my alarm woke me up at 8:30am. Why did I wake up at 8:30 on a Saturday? Well, I had a book to read of course! Last night some friends and I decided that today would be a great day to eat sushi and go to the movies. To see The Maze Runner. And since I am a firm believer in “book before movie, feeling groovy” (a phrase I just made up), I decided to download the book last night and read it today before the movie.

Which is what I did.

Then my friends and I ate sushi (such a good idea!) and got to the movie theater, got some popcorn (another good idea!), and about fifteen seconds into the movie I totally regretted my decision to read the book before seeing the movie.

Here’s the thing guys. The Maze Runner the movie is so different from the book it’s stupid. It’s stupidly different. But here’s the another thing, I totally enjoyed both. I think I would’ve enjoyed the movie more, though, if I hadn’t just read the entire book in the same day.

Here are some questions I have for the movie makers:

• If James Dashner says the boys have been in the Glade for two years, why would you feel the need to make it three years? Was two years not long enough? What’s up with that?
• Dashner specifically makes it a point to say that it has never rained in the Glade. So why would you put a scene in which it’s raining in the movie? Nobody even mentions the rain. I don’t get it.
• We’re just gonna ignore the whole telepathy thing? Oh. Okay.
• Was The Cliff not dramatic enough? We had to go on ahead and invent a completely different system of sections of the maze that open and close (which I actually kind of liked better than the code, if we’re honest, which I always try to be) and some weirdo door?
• Why would you say nobody’s seen a Griever and lived to tell the tale when Ben is supposed to be going through The Changing when Thomas arrives? I was so confused as to why Ben was attacking Thomas in the woods and I had just read the book. Also, the Banishing seemed so super heartless without more context and with Ben being such a crybaby. He was psycho after being stung and I feel that wasn’t really communicated. While we’re on the subject of being stung, how come Teresa brought the serum? Also, if nobody had been stung before Alby, how did Ben get stung? Also, Alby wasn’t supposed to say all that junk to Thomas. He was supposed to have bed memories that caused him to sacrifice himself for the rest. His death in the movie was all but wasted.
• Did it really add to the story to nix the big house in favor of hammocks?
• Did it really add to the story to have the box totally a mesh cage instead of a smooth metal box?
• Why wasn’t Gally meaner?
• Why was Thomas in “the Pit” (which was a made up movie thing that took place of the Slammer) overnight instead of for a whole day? Why was he thrown in there in the beginning?
• Why did the Runners all quit? That wasn’t in the book! Also, why did the Runners make one big stick Maze instead of all the drawings? Also why was the Runner building (I forget what it’s called) away off in the woods? The woods weren’t really that big and it should’ve been in the middle.
• What happened to all the fun slang? I only heard a couple shanks and like one klunk. Boo!
• What was with the names carved on the wall? I assumed it was taking place of the graveyard, which, okay, whatever, but then Thomas stumbles upon George’s insanely shallow grave (I would’ve expected more out of Gladers). So… what’s that about?
• Alby didn’t come alone – he’s just been there the longest. The Creators sent a group. Remember?
• Why didn’t Minho run away in the Maze like he did in the book? Why didn’t any of that go down like it did in the book? I thought the vine-swinging would’ve been awesome!
• What happened to the Grievers only killing one person a night? They killed so many people!
• How come Teresa remembered even less than Thomas? That’s not right.
• With all the changes, could we not have worked in a Thomas shirtless scene? I feel certain viewers (ahem, me) would’ve really appreciated something like that.

That all being said, I really did enjoy the movie. I really enjoyed Dylan O’Brien (who I sometimes get confused with Logan Lerman because they’re both so adorable and good at their jobs) and the rest of the cast was unquestionably (get it? because of all my questions? get it?) stellar. Newt was the perfect combo of leader and adorable. Alby was strong and a little intense. Chuck was the best. Thomas was the stud. Minho was strong and dependable (even more so in the movie, actually!) and Teresa was just kind of there.

I will say this, I can totally get on board with another dystopian Series. Now there’ll be no gap between movies-to-look-forward-to with this first installation of The Maze Runner coming just months before the second to last installation of Hunger Games. It’s a great time to be alive, no?

And now for some reaction gifs and not even an attempt at a witty transition:

Whenever the movie didn’t match up with the book:

When Thomas shoved his hot little body through the rapidly closing giant cement Door to save Alby and Minho:

When the Grievers snatched up Alby (and everyone else):

When we made it out of the Maze:

How I feel about Minho:

How I feel about the rest of The Maze Runner series:

// What about you guys? Have you read the book? Seen the movie? Interested in either? Enjoyed one more than the other? Have a favorite Glader? Let’s hear it!