Maze Runner: The Death Cure - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Maze Runner: The Death Cure

Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
Maze Runner: The Death Cure may be more aptly named Maze Runner: Thought it Wouldn’t Happen, as the film was scheduled for late 2016/early 2017 release date but was shelved after the main actor suffered a severe set of injuries while filming the opening “jail break” sequence. Back in early 2016 when it was announced we all thought it was just delay the production for a few months, but then 20th Century Fox announced that the movie was delayed INDEFINITELY, as the injuries that Dylan O’Brien suffered were actually REALLY severe. Over a year and a half later and they suddenly announced that Dylan had recovered enough to continue filming, and my worries that we would end up with a Divergent type situation (the last film looks dead in the water due to the poor response from the 3rd film) was alleviated.

I actually may be in the minority here, but out of all the post apocalyptic dystopian young adult series translated from book to screen, I like the Maze Runner series the most. While Jennifer Lawrence made herself a household name with The Hunger Games, and Shailene Woodley dominated it with Divergent, I was really intrigued by the premise of Maze Hunter. A story about a group of teenagers stuck in a gigantic man made maze that was filled with all sorts of technological traps. It was dark, brutal, and a fun adventure that didn’t get so involved with the romance in the series that it appealed to young women only (something the Divergent series suffered from). The second film opened up the world of Maze Runner, and informed us that there was a whole nother world outside of the maze. A world that was ravaged by a solar flare years ago and gave humanity the gift of the flare virus. A virus that turned people in raging zombies (similar to 28 Days Later) and left the rest of humanity hovering behind walled enclosures and nowhere else to turn. The big bad evil scientific corporation, WCKD (pronounced WICKED, ironically enough) found out that certain amounts of the young children were born immune to the virus, and produce a toxin in the brain that could potentially used as a cure for the virus. Well, WCKD did the only thing they thought they could do, send in groups of teenagers to the maze who were immune and then test them with various obstacles to see what would produce the enzyme needed for the cure.

(some small spoilers for the first two movies ahead). Thomas, after getting the teens out of his maze and getting betrayed by Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) has fallen in with the Red Army resistance, and trying to get his friend Minho (Ki Hong Lee) back. The thing is, Minho is deemed as the most viable test subject for WCKD, and they think that he may be the cure that they’re looking for. Taking Minho back to the last surviving human city (one that is walled in from the rest of the world), WCKD effectively baits Thomas into coming out of hiding and coming straight to those who want him the most. Using the help of Brenda (Rose Salazar), Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and a few others, Thomas plans on breaking into the WCKD command center and ripping Minho out by force.

However, it’s not as easy as you would think, and Thomas has to rely on help from the mysterious Mr. Lawrence (Walter Goggins in a cool little cameo) and a long forgotten “friend” to break into the WCKD headquarters and accomplish his mission. Simultaneously, Teresa is trying her best to use Minho’s forced subservience into something good. Step by step of the way she tries to complete a cure using his immune DNA, but something is missing. A key that she needs to complete her work and rid humanity of this plaque once and for all. A key that will come straight to her, as the subject she is working for is the focal point of both sides.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure is a solid finale to the trilogy. I REALLY like Maze Runner back in 2014, and still find it the best of the series. The constrained feeling of living in the mysterious maze made for some awesome adventure sequences, and the camaraderie was excellent. The second movie opened up the world a bit more, but still held onto the adventure aspect. I was worried they would lose momentum due to the delay in filming, but The Death Cure is a good (if not a bit flawed) ending to the series. The movie really smacks more of Mad Max at times than anything, but a much neutered one as the PG-13 rating keeps it from being as balls to the walls crazy as that franchise. The middle act slows way down as Thomas struggles to get INTO the building, and it’s not until the final act that things really pick up after the action packed heist at the beginning of the movie.

My problems with the film are few, but there are a few. Too many questions are left unanswered. Such as WHY Thomas was put in the maze considering he worked for WCKD. Why did he and Teresa regain their memories? And just how could they continue on with the virus cure when all the scientists who worked on it at WCKD are dead, and the Red Army people and teenagers that Thomas saves are all on the island and immune to the virus? I guess it comes from the writers not going ahead and filming the two prequel novels from Dashner, and instead wrapping up the movie by not sticking directly with how the novel ends in The Death Cure. Still, complaints aside, I enjoyed the final entry into the Maze Runner series more than I did Jennifer Lawrence being bored out of her mind in Mockingjay films, or the very weak last entry into the Divergent universe.




Rating:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, and some thematic elements




4K Video: Video:

Maze Runner: The Death Cure was shot on Arri Alexa cameras (a 3.4K source) and then transferred to an unknown master resolution (not sure if it was upscaled from 3.4K to 4K, or given a 2K digital intermediate). Either way, the end result is fantastic. The Blu-ray was a STUNNER from beginning to end, and the 4K UHD shows a nice upgrade over the already great looking Blu-ray. Colors are more punchy and vibrant with the application of HDR, giving lots of emphasis on the teal and green aspects of the imagery. The dark world of the destroyed earth is heavily filtered, with a hint of orange to complement the dark teal and green (usually with the sandy outdoors, and there is a mild softness to the CGI that is most likely a result of trying to blend so much CGI on a limited budget. The fine detail is simply exquisite, with the viewer able to see every line and bit of grime on Thomas’s face, as well as the textures and features of the stone wall.






Audio:

The Maze Runner films have always had demo worthy audio mixes, and The Death Cure is no different. The DTS-HD MA 7.1 track from the Blu-ray was already pretty much a 5/5 rating (I give it a 4.75/5 if I’m being nitpicky), but the Atmos mix kicks it up a notch and perfects the already nearly perfect track. The film has a heavy bass line running throughout it, allowing powerful waves of LFE to permeate the listening area right from the opening action shot. The explosions and action sequences are rife with powerful energy, and the surrounds and overheads are in constant use as the rebels swarm the WCKD headquarters. Gunshots are powerful, but precise, and the overheads add an awesome sense of immersion as flying transports roar overhead, or a crane lifts up an entire bus and transports it over the heads of the viewer. Simply put, and awesome audio experience that really rocks as demo material.







Extras:

• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Wes Ball, T.S. Nowlin, and Joe Hartwick Jr.
• 4 Featurettes: The Final Run" , "Dystopia", "Allies Reunited", "A Look Back", "Going Out on Top"
• Gag Reel
• Visual Effects with Optional Commentary
• Audio Commentary by Wes Ball, T.S. Nowlin and Joe Hartwick Jr.

Final Score: ​

After a year plus of waiting past the original release date, Maze Runner: The Death Cure is finally completed, and it looks like this will be the final movie in the franchise as well. I really loved Maze Runner back in 2014, and have stuck with the series, considering it to be superior to many of the bigger named young adult film franchises that have run parallel to it. The Death Cure is a bit weaker than the rest, but still a fun movie that answers MOST of the questions put forward in the first two films. 20th Century Fox’s Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases are excellent (with the not going to the 4K UHD release for obvious technical reasons) and definitely worth grabbing if you’re a fan of the series.



Technical Specifications:

Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario
Directed by: Wes Ball
Written by: T.S. Nowlin (Screenplay), James Dashner (Novel)
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 HEVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), Spanish DD 5.1, French DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 143 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: April 24th, 2018

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• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Solid Watch

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. Will have to catch the first and then catch up with the rest.

 

[Asere]

I did see the first one awhile back and enjoyed it. Time went on and I never go to see the other parts so by now I've lost interest. Maybe one day I'll watch them all.

Thanks for the review!

 

[Tony V.]

I honestly missed even knowing this was released in the theaters LOL. I will be picking it up tonight or tomorrow as I liked the first two.

 

[Michael Scott]

I honestly missed even knowing this was released in the theaters LOL. I will be picking it up tonight or tomorrow as I liked the first two.

it came and went pretty quickly if I remember. Only there like 4 weeks. If you enjoyed the others you should like this one then tony