The Reel Rejects - THE MAZE RUNNER (2014) MOVIE REVIEW – A YA THRILLER THAT’S WAY BETTER THAN EXPECTED

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Starting point is 00:00:27 Visit medcan.com slash moments to get started. Thank you to Hewel for sponsoring this video. More on them in just a bit. Hopefully we live up to the love. And yeah, I'm excited to get into another Y-A franchise. So without further ado, all right, maze runner commencing in a three, a two, and a one. All righty, you guys, we have just finished the maze runner. If you're listening to this on Apple or Spotify, make sure you go and give us five mother flipping stars.

Starting point is 00:01:02 If you're watching us on YouTube, make sure you like, comment, subscribe. going ring that freaking bell. Also, also, also, if you go on over to Rejectnationshop.com, you can see we got boom, boom, merch, new shirts designed by myself and the reject team with artists that we work with coming up with new stuff all the time. So keep look out for those things. If you're also going to go on over and be super cool, you can also be super sexy and you can go to our Patreon where we do full-length watchalongs worth no cutting.

Starting point is 00:01:36 no editing, none of that crap. We are also having full-length stuff that are not exclusive or that are exclusive for the YouTube that Greg and John cover that you can't get over here on YouTube. And yeah, if you're

Starting point is 00:01:52 a patron and a person who buy stuff on regionation shop.com, you get 50% off of all merchandise. Also, if you're a page, you get to ask us questions, someone which we have pulled up here today for this here movie, this here video. But before we get into the questions for the fans, let's check in with

Starting point is 00:02:09 how we're feeling. Andrew, how you doing? I am doing good. I was just checking up that actress who plays Teresa. I guess she was in the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I saw that so long with you. That's why I didn't recognize her. And she was in either a crocodile or alligator film called Crawl. I think

Starting point is 00:02:26 Sam Ramey might have produced that film. So overall, this was wire here. This was a very intelligent, fascinating, dystopian film. I like that it didn't really coddle to the audience

Starting point is 00:02:40 and it took time to breathe and also didn't give you the answers right away and just really didn't hold your hand when it came to the audience. And it gave that POV too when it came to Thomas' character

Starting point is 00:03:00 of feeling like the audience where we had to find those answers with him and it didn't feel like actual exposition when it came it actually felt well when it came to the exposition rather it felt very organic and natural it's like we actually want to know these questions too and this felt like natural conversations those are my favorite types of exposition dumps so because we were just as curious as thomas was about the amnesia he was going through and not knowing what is happening or where he is so from that perspective i thought i i just the world building and what was going on i thought that was really well done well

Starting point is 00:03:33 executed. When it came to the chemistry of the entire cast, I thought everyone was casted very well. You could really feel not only the characters who have been with each other, you feel that history dynamic and their survivor's instincts, but then also too with Dylan O'Brien. He did a fantastic job. I thought he was very curious in the film, but also too, he's just got a very survivalistic instinct. But also, too, he brings a lot of emotional grounding to the the film as well. So I just, I liked his presence in the film as well. He's got a lot of gravitas and he's also just, I just think he's very, he could be

Starting point is 00:04:16 stoic at times, but also I just love how brave and courageous he was as a character. And as well as his chemistry with Teresa, I thought she was a very fascinating character as well. And I really thought, Newt for me, I'll get to Chuck and after you do your portals. of the review, but I thought Newt was one of the standouts for me as well. I love his, uh, his charming personality, but also I love, you know, the, when it comes to like the contrast between him and, uh, what was it, Galley, Will Poulter's character. I like the, the calm authority that he had, besides the, the charm as well, uh, because you had to have that difference in

Starting point is 00:04:55 contrast, especially when you're in like a, a Lord of the Flies type of situation where, you know, you're in that survivalistic type of place. So I thought Newt was so fantastic. And also, too, thought he did a great job of keeping that hope alive. You know what I mean? When you're in a situation like that, you really have to have a great amount of hope because it's so easy to give up so quickly. So, and I thought that actor who I know he's in Game of Thrones, can't remember his name, but he did a fantastic job. Really stood out to me.

Starting point is 00:05:24 But what about you? What do you think? I liked it. I thought it was very interesting. the way that they establish the story from the moment we see Dylan O'Brien Thomas from the first frame. We are in his POV. Don't know anything about what this world is, what's happening. And I feel like that allows us to empathize with the character with not a lot of insight into who he is because we're discovering it as he is.

Starting point is 00:05:51 But the fact that he is this guy who is breaking the mold of what these people have been doing with the past three years, the fact that he's curious, he's brave, he's courageous. I feel like that, you know, are all qualities we can, we can admire and hope to strive for. And I feel like he did a great job as the lead of this movie. Yeah, I thought it was interesting. Overall, I really like the set pieces we had. I like the mystery, like the mythology in which we've established over the course of the movie. The movie's really well-paced as well.

Starting point is 00:06:26 It did a great job of allowing. us to get all the info we needed, at least for this chapter of the trilogy, at least as of right now trilogy, for, yeah, what our characters need to know and then establishing the, I guess, beginning of where we're going here. You know, we started with being in this maze. We did get out of the maze, but obviously that's only the beginning of the chapter. I will say my only real criticisms or I felt like we could have gotten more into Teresa's character. She was kind of introduced and we didn't really know much about her. And Will Poulter or Galley showing up in the thing sort of felt tacked on to me.

Starting point is 00:07:13 It just goes like, okay, he's just here now. And he didn't really have any of the same information or pieces that the other characters needed to get past this area. Right. And so, yeah, it didn't feel like this like, oh, shit. Like, oh, he was all known the whole time. I just kind of felt like, oh, he's here now. And this is the thing that we have for the end of the film. Right, right.

Starting point is 00:07:38 But, you know, I enjoyed his performance. I really liked his character. I understood where he was coming from. Wanted to keep these people safe, his community safe and not wanting to lose any more people. He was very much somebody who had cultivated this tribe was one of the first people. there and did not want to lose any more people because I imagine some semblance he felt responsible for these group of younger guys looking for a shepherd to keep them safe and just to keep his community alive.

Starting point is 00:08:10 Yeah, he brought a lot of intensity of the role and I thought he gave a great performance and not once was I annoyed with his character because I understood where he was coming from. I didn't always agree with his decision making, but I understood it. and he was just coming from a survivalist point of view. And, you know, when Thomas arrived and now, you know, he felt like this was a disruption and flow in what they were catering to and what they were doing. And this could be a disruption in survival. So I understand why he felt that was a threat to that.

Starting point is 00:08:42 And now that the grievers were, also we got the note with Teresa that this is the last one ever, that was a disruption in flow in terms of usually a person comes every month or so. disruption, then the walls weren't closing, the grievers came. You can understand his perspective. I get it. And to what you are saying in regards to... Hold on a second here, buddy.

Starting point is 00:09:04 Oh, sorry. No, you could. When it comes to what you are saying in terms of Teresa's character, I fully agree with you. I would have liked to have gotten a little more into her backstory. I'm hoping, hopefully,

Starting point is 00:09:16 in the second one, that we will get a little bit more on her character. So, but also when it comes to Galley, I understand why they had to do that with the whole thing with Chuck and get that dramatic moment that we were foreshadowing earlier on. So I understand why they did that. But just from a logical perspective, like, they hit quite a hit start on Galley's character. So I'm curious when did he get stung? Like how much longer after they had already left. So I have some questions on

Starting point is 00:09:45 that. But from the dramatic point of view, I'm somewhat letting it slide just because I understand why we had to have that moment but I'm I'm with you I that was a little bit of a how did he catch up with yeah he's a he's a runner now he's a runner now apparently yeah well let's see what the people are thinking uh and with that we will get into the questions all right cody price what's up cody hey Aaron and Andrew and Andrew and Aaron was good was good uh Dylan and Brian and great actors with amazing reins. Do you have favorite performance from both Dylan and Will?

Starting point is 00:10:26 From Dylan, my favorite performance is The Maze Runner, because that's the only movie I've ever seen him in. So I'll pick that. I guess I'll have to see some of his other ones, because I love what he brought to this one, but you'll have to you guys will have to let me know in the comments what else he's been, or what I should, what

Starting point is 00:10:42 you recommend that I should watch of his, whether it's on this channel or in my own free time. When it comes to Will Polter, what's, is it, We Are the Millers? Is that one of his? He was in that one? He was, I know he was Adam Warlock, of course. He was great in that for sure. But I would say if we're talking about like favor performances, he was hysterical and we are the Miller.

Starting point is 00:11:00 So I'm going to go with that one just because he had me like literally on the ground balling. I, yeah, no, he was hilarious in that one. Oh, Dylan, just know, do you see the movie bumblebee? The Transformers movie? Yeah, with Haynes-Sanfield. I stopped after the third one. Oh, man. But Greg Greg, Greg, Greg will always tell us me I need to watch bumblebee.

Starting point is 00:11:23 Okay, yeah. I had no idea he was in that one. Is that with Haley Stearnes? The only other thing I've seen Dylan O'Brien in is actually Teen Wolf, and he's great in that. Yeah, it was earlier in his career, and I thought he's great. And as far as Will Poulter goes, I do need to watch more of his isography. I am, I want to look up his career, but I am also going to want to want to. want to tread lightly just in case for some reason he is alive in the next ones i don't think he is he

Starting point is 00:11:54 seems pretty dead but well the scientist was dead so i don't know i don't know right right fair enough um but yeah i think he's great he's great as adam warlock and i know i've seen other films of his but yeah for for lack of reference right now i would have to say uh adam warlock he's great and and with himiller's two very different forms he's really good too in one of the chronicles of narnia movie he was really looking at that he is in those okay i will look it up I think he was like the cousin or something? It was a while back John and I reacted all those movies. Oh, Poulter.

Starting point is 00:12:24 Just be careful. I know. I'm going to do my best. I'm going to do my best. Okay. Wither Miller's Chronicle of Narnia. Yeah, those are the main things I've seen him in. And I think, oh yeah, he was in, um, he's in bandersnatch of, um, black mirror.

Starting point is 00:12:38 He's great in that as well. He was in death of a unicorn. I did see him in that recently. Never saw him. And Adam Warlock. Yeah. But yeah, they were both. Quite an accomplished career so far.

Starting point is 00:12:48 Yeah, I'd have to say the same. All right. Thank you so much, Cody. We appreciate you. Hello, Reject. It is now 2026, and I've been thinking a lot about what health actually means to me right now. And I'm sure a lot of you are, too. Last year, I made a big deal about dropping like 50 pounds, all because I wanted to get those dang photos.

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Starting point is 00:13:53 I really like this chocolate peanut butter one. So you're literally looking at my rotation. I got the hule ready to drink. I got the bottles I'd bring here at the office ready to go. I got the black edition powder. They got like a wide variety of flavors, and these are my go-toos. And I am vegetarian and allergic to dairy, so I'm actually really happy that this is all plant-based, created by registered nutritionists, affordable per serving.

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Starting point is 00:14:40 All right, Nick at Night. Thank you so much for being a Royal Reject for asking us a question. We appreciate you. Excuse me. I was wondering. what you guys thought about the grievers. Did you think they were cool, scary, or a bit of both maybe? Thanks for all the hard work rejects.

Starting point is 00:14:54 Thank you, Nick, at night. Yeah, I thought they were all the above. I thought they were a cool hybrid of this, like, mechanical spider being, while also elements of organic in the center there. And I'm like, how do they come to be? What was the purpose of their creation? What is this poison that they injecting to people? No, they said that.

Starting point is 00:15:17 There was like this brain virus. And I guess they're administering it to people as a form of testing to seemingly to find like a cure. But yeah, I thought they were very threatening beings. And maybe we'll get more of them in the next one. It seemed like they were kind of bred them to be within this specific setting. But who knows? Maybe this is not the end of the grievers or the last of them. They were definitely a bit of both.

Starting point is 00:15:41 I have a very soft spot. I have a very soft spot for the film Wild Wild West. It's not a good movie at all. Oh. I still have a very soft spot. I do too. I don't care what anyone says. Yes, right.

Starting point is 00:15:52 And I know Will Smith did not make the greatest career decision choosing that over the Matrix. But having said that there's a giant mechanical spider in that movie. These are a lot cool. These grievers. Point being is I love the way the film shows that in the shadows, it actually looks like a real spider or insect that's coming out after them, like a bug. Yeah. And then as we get the reveal that it's just, it's a mechanical type of spider.

Starting point is 00:16:20 So I thought that was such a fascinating and intriguing way to show off that, you know, it's kind of very futuristic tech. And but also, too, it's really scary as shit too. And I love the sound designs that they gave them. And then immediately when you saw Thomas being chased by them, you could tell that these things were extremely threatening, menacing, and scary at the same time.

Starting point is 00:16:43 But also from a visual. perspective for us, the audience. Really cool to like take a look at. But yeah, I thought the designs on them were extremely awesome. So I'm very curious when we get to the next film, what they're going to, are they going to use gravers again? Or now that we're out of this trial, are they going to go to a different type of threat? So.

Starting point is 00:17:03 Yeah. To see what they do with that. It seemed like we're going to go to the desert in the next one. Yeah. That's pretty dope. All right. Thank you, naked night. Jaden Rhodes.

Starting point is 00:17:12 This came. sorry, this came during the time of teen dystopian adaptations of books. I'm curious which of y'all's favorites in that little genre. It is probably the second Hunger Games movie for me. That's a great question, Jayden. Yeah, so Tara and I have done two of the divergent films. Aaron and I have done all the Hunger Games films, and now we have started the maze run.

Starting point is 00:17:38 So I assume we're staying in like that whole realm of, I'd probably go with catching fire. I love that movie. I love the visual design in that movie. I love the characters. Just the themes in that movie are extremely heavy. The world building we do in that film. All the acting in that, everything.

Starting point is 00:17:59 There's just so much different stuff. Francis Lawrence's directing in that film was impressive. Just the actual arena in that film. There's just so many different things I could compliment about that film. The pacing as well. I mean, I would say Catching Fire is probably my favorite of the dystopian films i would say yeah i'd have to agree with you on that i feel like the the acting on that one's incredible the way that they up the stakes from the first one the way that the movie ends with

Starting point is 00:18:23 its cliffhanger and the reveal and you know the choices those the characters make in that movie it's just yeah it's it's the best of those out of those five movies i think that still stands the test as the best of them and the way they're able to handle balancing frenetic pacing with uh deliberately slow um uh pacing as well is really impressive and that film too. You never once filled the clock in that movie. Yeah, that movie is a true freaking masterpiece. Yeah. All right. Thank you so much, Jaden.

Starting point is 00:18:51 We appreciate you. All right, from Jay Rushden. What up, Jay? Question, what what reject would be the best runner or the worst runner in the maze? I love that question. Yeah, I would be the worst runner. I think Greg would be the best runner.

Starting point is 00:19:07 Greg definitely the best runner because he does run in real life. Worst runner? probably either Aaron or myself. I feel like everyone else would be a better runner than both of us. I'm also, let's rank it. Let's rank the runners.

Starting point is 00:19:22 Well, really quickly, I would say the reason I'm, I'm in contention for worst runner, I was a baseball player. We suck at running baseball players. And I was a catcher. I have bad knees.

Starting point is 00:19:31 Just from all my years, all for all my years of services as a catcher. So I think we're ranking, if we're going worse. One. Okay. For if we're going worse to best, I feel like John would be a great runner.

Starting point is 00:19:42 Okay, but I know John isn't in the gym as much as everybody. Jay, here's the runner. Speaking of the devil. The runners right here, see, he ran. Hey, we're ranking the runners. We're ranking runners best. John, John, answer this question, which, which reject would be the best runner and which would be the worst runner in the maze? I said underrated, you'd be one of the best.

Starting point is 00:20:08 I said Greg would be, we said Craig would be the best runner. I think, yeah, I think. Exactly. I would say, ooh, if I'd go best to worst, it'd be, or worse to best, me and the bottom, then Andrew, than you. The real roomies are going to be. No, no, no, no, me, Andrew, Tara, you, Roxy, coy, Greg. I put John high.

Starting point is 00:20:34 Okay, fine. I'd put John maybe a Tedder is ahead of a soul. Oh, yeah, Michael. Tessor, who does fly to the end. Michael with the. company doing all these multi multi maze he designed the maze he knows every in and out he's not the first movie so i don't remember you only watched the first one oh damn thanks you though for the vote of confidence yes of course hey man i saw you hit that boxing

Starting point is 00:20:59 punching bag you know i'm not under surprise us all i will never underestimate you ever again how do you feel about your cardio prowess uh it could be better oh okay like i like cardio cardio is my favorite, like, when I'm just compelled, like, I just gotta get outside, I'm freaking, you know, cardio, you know, throw on some good music, go running the neighborhood, see the trees and stuff, like, it's good. Okay. So I can be easily compelled

Starting point is 00:21:23 to do that. Do you feel you could outrun a griever? It didn't, yes, definitely. Okay. Definitely could. I mean, like, you know, if you got my music on. Oh, yeah. You know, I get cardio good when I'm dancing.

Starting point is 00:21:37 Oh, yeah, you do. If I can really get in the zone, and have like, you know, some momentous tunes to keep up with. Like, kind of like, oh, I got to be on the beat. That'll help me with you. Yeah, totally. I can see that. I could so see that.

Starting point is 00:21:52 You know, he outdance them as they're trying to attack. You just like dodge on beat. It's like the pitcher and hardball. I don't know if either of you guys saw it with Keanu Reeves, but the pitcher needed his headphones to end the music so he could pitch well. But John needs his music so he could outrun the grievers. Yeah. Did you give your ranking?

Starting point is 00:22:09 I'll just go with your ranking. I like, no, I like. that's a good ranking i like that i might put john just a tad like one from multi-house he would be a good runner oh i could see joe no joe's in great shape i could yeah i could see i could see that they're except teresa only teresa and cally yeah okay we have one last question one last all right from cody price thank you again cody for the question we appreciate you follow-up question from lethal weapon patron

Starting point is 00:22:37 hey what a perfect time perfect for you yeah if there is ever a film reboot of lethal weapon, do you think Will Poulter would be a good casting choice for Martin Riggs? I think he could be. I don't think he'd be my choice, though. I think he brings a lot of intensity, and I could see him doing it for sure. I'd have to really think

Starting point is 00:22:55 on it, because, I mean, Mel Gibson did such a great job, like psychologically really getting into that role, so that would be a really difficult... I mean, you know... Will Poulter is the kind of choice where I would be like, I

Starting point is 00:23:11 don't I don't see it myself but like I'm willing to take it in yeah I'd be okay with it that like it would be intriguing but I can't see it I think Jake Jalenhall will make a good Riggs I can see Jake Jillen Hall rigs yeah yeah it's crazy and fun dental and Brian Riggs I'm mad at that I ain't even out of it uh Will Poulter D uh then other people who I don't know the name Yeah, and Game of Thrones. He knew. He was great. He's good, and he's really good.

Starting point is 00:23:47 I think he was one of my standouts. Laine Crawford should, Crosson should be Martin Riggs. All right. But who's going to play? I want to know who's going to play Leo is what I want to know. It would be a great question.

Starting point is 00:24:01 Leo Gets. Jonah Hill. Speaking of Leo Gets, we got to get out of here, guys. We love you. Hopefully we're seeing the next one. Fingers crossed. and yeah, stay running.

The Reel Rejects - THE MAZE RUNNER (2014) MOVIE REVIEW – A YA THRILLER THAT’S WAY BETTER THAN EXPECTED

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