Here comes yet another dystopian movie based on yet another dystopian book. It kind of works out.

“The Maze Runner,” using the same moniker as the book, takes a familiar look at the dystopian genre. Yes, the world is still destroyed, and yes, someone decided to give angsty adolescents the chance to run the broken world (don’t worry, there are more tropes to come).

Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, wakes up in the Glade surrounded by the cleverly named “Gladers” with no memory of how he got there or who he is. The large concrete wall that marks the entrance to the maze instantly captivates him and sets up the rest of the movie as his curiosity drives the plot along.

After poking around too much, he learns that the Gladers are not as trapped as they initially thought. Throughout his discovery, he is plagued with flashbacks of his past life indicating a greater conspiracy, which keeps the movie interesting because we never know the purpose of these flashbacks until the very end.

More light is shed on the mystery when Theresa, played by Kaya Scodelario, is sent up with a note saying she will be the last person to be sent up ever. Thankfully, no teen love story plays out here — that would be simply too much cliché for one movie. Regardless, her presence forces the Gladers to follow Thomas into the maze in order to find a way out.

As mentioned before, the climax is a well-kept secret until the end when it’s time for the big reveal. The mystery and suspense is well placed throughout the plot with enough hint at what’s coming next without giving the whole thing away.

Besides the entertaining pace at which the story plays out, the movie is riddled with the familiar elements of a dystopian story. If it works for you, find your way to the theater and settle in. Even if it isn’t for you, stick around for the story and gratuitous use of close-ups. I smell a trilogy brewing.

_MOVE gives “The Maze Runner” 2.5 out of 5 stars._