The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Dylan O'Brien's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Maze Runner is worth clearing space for. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry The Maze Runner through its more ambitious moments. A teenager with no memory of his past finds himself among a group of boys living in a walled enclosure surrounded by a massive, ever-changing maze. As he struggles to adapt to their rules and society, he begins to uncover clues that may lead to escape and the truth behind their confinement. The human element stays intact thanks to Dylan O'Brien and Kaya Scodelario, who anchor every scene. It was released in 2014. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give The Maze Runner a chance. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Dylan O'Brien anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.