Film Preview: Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)

Page Revisions:

(October 1, 2017) Original
(December 17, 2017) New Trailer (#2) / New Posters (#1-#9)
(January 21, 2018) New Posters (#10-#12)

Release Date:

January 26, 2018

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “Young hero, Thomas, embarks on a mission to find a cure to a deadly disease known as the “Flare”.”

Poster Rating: B- / C / C+ / C (6) / B / B- / C

SEE ALL POSTERS BELOW
Review: (#1) The maze is an interesting element, but the superimposed character images at the top throw everything off. (#2) This ominous, almost staggering setting reminds favorably of the maze of the first film, which ties it in nicely. (#3) Another maze-set design that feels a bit more obvious, but also more imposing and with more details to the backdrop. (#4-#9) These character posters are trying hard to create a sense of presence, but they have little variance between character and that makes them feel a bit inconsequential.

(#10) The color selection is familiar for this film’s myriad posters, but the construction, the action elements and the general sense of tension of this design helps make it the most appealing one to date. (#11) Similar to the previous entries, this one is chock full of visual blunders, most notably the inserted characters with different shadows making it obvious that everything was shoehorned in. (#12) It’s a clever idea, but poorly executed. It feels pushy and cheap.

Trailer Rating: C+ / B-

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Review: (#1) Plenty of action and for fans of the first two films (or the books), it looks like a fun time. However, there’s something expired and old-hat about the adventure that might be a result of the unexpected on-set injury of star Dylan O’Brien. Three years might just be too long to wait as most people have probably forgot there were even two prior movies.

(#2) Far more excitement and danger suggested in this trailer, which gives it a sense of excitement. That will be key to selling the film to fans who’ve been waiting too long for the third film and might have lost interest in the interim.