The Scorch Trials the movie and adaptation

                Back to the work week we go.  I hope everyone had a great weekend full of good times.  Maybe some of you went to the movies this weekend, after all there was a book to movie adaptation coming out.  Yep the sequel to The Maze Runner, which is The Scorch Trials.  If you're interested in my thoughts on The Maze Runner movie you can check out that review here.  There will be spoilers from here on out for both the movie and the book.  I'll be rating it twice.  On the movie on it's own (well sequel but whatever) and then on its book adaptability.  So without further ado…

               

Movie Rating: 5 Stars

Book Adaptation Rating: 2 Stars

                I should probably start this off by saying that I did not get the chance to re-read The Scorch Trials book before the movie.  I wanted to have a refresher but there are just so many amazing books that I'm working on reading right now I didn't end up re-reading one I'd already enjoyed.  Keep in mind this is the book that I went on a mini adventure with a friend to locate the day it came out and I will always remember it for that.  So while I don't remember a lot of specific details of the book I remember the general points.  Hence the low rating for the adaptation part, so much major stuff was changed even I who read this book five years ago noticed.  So on that front it was slightly disappointing after The Maze Runner did a pretty solid job of sticking to the main points of the book.  I was expecting something a bit different.

                That being said I also really enjoyed the movie.  I find that as I had an addiction to movies before I rediscovered my love for reading again I am able most of the time to separate the book and the movie and be okay.  Now sometimes I'm just mad because I LOVED the book and wanted to see it made into the perfect adaptation and that doesn't happen.  Most of the time even if they change a lot of things I can still look at it and enjoy it as a movie rather than a book adaptation.  With The Scorch Trials I'm somewhat happy to see them changing so many things in the hopes that they will change the final book and some things I didn't care as much for (it involves a certain characters end).

                Differences.  I did find myself constantly waiting for certain things to happen.  Again I remember bigger parts and not little things so I couldn't be sure if everything happening was the same, lots felt different but the direction I was following.  The biggest thing that did bother me about the adaptation part, and maybe even the movie as I'm thinking about it now is the end of the Maze Runner and title.  In the book The Scorch Trials were trials and WICKED followed their progress through the Scorch and it was deadly and dangerous and such but it was much like the maze in that they were monitoring them, all part of the plan.  That's even how the movie leads you to believe, "initiate the scorch trials," she says at the end of The Maze Runner.  Still the movie goes off in that they escape and are on the run.  I liked the idea and the visuals and such don't get me wrong but it was no longer a trial which given the title is misleading. 

                A few other things I wish would have been included in the movie was a better explanation for the worlds current state, a rehash from the end of movie one with the sun flares, but more a how any people survived and a better description of the Cranks.  We see them and are chased by them but they aren't explained properly.  They were more like fast moving zombies. I remembered Cranks from the books but I know some who didn't read the books were a bit confused where the zombies came from.   

                The movie while following a different path than the book featured lots of action and dystopian like atmosphere.  There is still lots of running and struggling to survive.  We get to see our favorite characters and how they react to different situations.  Remember none of them remember life before waking up in the maze so everything else is new to them.  To spend all your time trying to escape to something better and to find the scorch waiting for you.  Talk about a shock to your system.  I just love Newt and Minho!  We also get to meet Brenda and Jorge who were not what I described and I admit after seeing Jorge I couldn't stop thinking of Revolution.  I also loved my Firefly flash back seeing Wash and Game of Thrones with Littlefinger (whom I don't normally like his characters I do love is accent)! Anywho lots of deception and betrayal and evil companies who swear they are doing everything for the good of everyone but do we believe them?  The whole sacrifice a few to save many mentality has always been interesting to me in its variations.  

On the scorch...

                 Overall though again I really enjoyed the movie as a whole individually.  I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.  Still as an adaptation it was rather low on my scale.  I honestly think people who enjoyed the first movie but didn't read the series may enjoy it more than die hard fans of the books.  If you read the book and liked it, I would still say give it a shot but keep an open mind and don't expect things to stay the same.  Bright side is having read the book doesn't mean you know what will happen next.  That's all I have to share at the moment.  Remember comments feed the bloggers soul so tell me what you think below.  Have you seen the movie yet?  Read the series?  What did you think of the changes? 

               

                Until next time.