Hello 2016.
Not going to focus on new year, will get on that later. So this is my 1st post of 2016. I already got over the withdrawal after 3 days. The cause: Maze Runner. Or maybe i didn't. I always furious thinking back about the series.
1st of all, this is my review. It should contain lots of spoilers, up until the 3rd book: The Death Cure. I've watched the 2 movies, read the 3 books (only after finished i realized it has prequel: Kill The Order and soon sequel to that prequel).
The order of the watching/reading determined alot of my reaction towards the series. I have taken my lesson from Harry Potter series. I watch 1-4, back to read 1-3, then 4, which makes me impatient, so i read no 5 BEFORE i watch the movie. Big mistake because i was disappointed alot how it was so different from what i read. Ummm Yana of course it will? You're not the director.
So i've said to myself to always watch movie 1st, THEN read the book. But things weren't quite right with Maze Runner series. I think i have 5 different stories in my head. Maze Runner THE BOOK DON'T EQUAL TO Maze Runner THE MOVIE.
Here's my order of watching/reading. Movie 1»Book 1»Movie 2»Book 2»Book 3»BTS of movies.
I had to ask my sisters about the movie to make sure i remember right. The movie indeed is not the same as the book. A LOT different. And by the time i was reading book 2 (Scorch Trial), i already forgot movie 2 has the same title. It's like reading completely different series. Only the characters names are the same. I had quite hard time connecting book 1 and book 2 because i had movie 2 in the middle.
Lets go through one by one.
Starts with Movie 1: The Maze Runner.
Umm actually i didn't watch from the very start, i asked my sis how the story started since she has watched few times.
I love the cinematography. You know movie like this has lots of CGI but it felt so real~! I just love how dark it is, the action-packed scenes, they pictured it so beautifully. Though..
It made me jawdropped as how ridiculous is the ending.
Which doesn't gave me the same ending-feeling from Book 1.
Book 1 gave the clearer picture of how things working in Maze. Or the Glade. BUT.
BUT.
Something's off. So i ask my sisters to tell the plot from movie again. And i realized it's not the same as in the book. The more i read, the more i realized there's so many things are not the same. Even as how they escaped the Maze. Truly different.
My 1st thought was: why in world they try to make different plot and strategies when what's in the book is already brilliant?
And so, what Book 1 gave me was a satisfaction from reading. It was long since i felt so fun from reading thriller novel. Last was James Patterson book: Private Games. That was years ago.
Liking more of characters when i read the book. Eventhough book has Thomas point-of-view the whole time, it gives equal amount of explanation of many other characters namely Minho, Newt, Alby, and Teresa. I never thought i would come to like Minho more because of the reading.
Movie 2.
I started to accept that movie 2 might not be the same as book 2. That's why i watch first before reading, just to get the setting of places. Movie 2 is another brilliant one. It's darker, harsher, and appear to me more like a ghost story HAHAHAHA the Gone Crank almost got me swearing to my phone screen. I was concentrating so much because of no-subtitles, i had my face too close to screen when the Crank showed up from the dark. The ending leave me with NOOOO cause they got Minho.
Book 2.
Trying to reset my mind, to connect back to Book 1. And whaddayaknow..
Things are so different from Movie 2 that even my intention of watching movie to get the picture of setting for Book 2 is a waste. None of it was the same. Not even the setting, the plot, the fights etc.
By the middle of Book 2, i already forgot about Movie 2. The characters set up are also different eventhough they use same name (yeah Ki Hong, so much for "the movie has taken the key point from book").
I think they only use the book to visualize how the Crank (Gone one) looked -nasty- like. And ruined cities.
On to the book itself. It shows how Thomas and Minho bonded so much, how Brenda is actually the smartest pants out of all characters (movie-only viewers will only hate her). How Teresa played different role in the series (Teresa didn't appear much in book tbh).
Minho can pulled out so much sarcasm in one book. Newt too. Like, i never realized it before, boys have high tolerance for it. If it were me, i'll probably already smack Minho so many times. Newt you're lucky you make sense eventhough with sarcasm.
Book 2 gives me the understanding of Scorch Trial. What it exactly mean. Movie 2 should do different title. Where is the Scorch in Movie 2? i don't even know. Where's Group B? Movie-viewers will only gave you: they are not even important. Which is obviously not true.
It gives the most satisfying : things could only been harder. Trials indeed in more horrifying in Scorch Trials. Love Book 2.
This time, the ending was like plot-twisted to me. Making a sign that Movie 3 will never even close to Book 3.
The one making betrayal isn't making the betrayal like that. No need to smack Teresa people.
So Book 3.
I wish they hadn't kill Newt« is what l'm sure 99% of readers would have thought.
Book 3 is the climax after all. I finished it in less than a day. Too exciting. Though you lost 2 main characters. Thomas should have died«sometimes this occurred to me while reading Book 3. But you know one is having the strongest will to stay ALIVE.
And Minho. He's basically the hero alongside Thomas. Almost the main character. The 5 in the book is enough to make you gasped, cried, scream to run, many head-shaking and smirk because of sarcasm thrown out.
The thing i'm unsatisfied is, in Book they never actually bring front Ava Paige. So i can't exactly hate her twisted mind for doing the deathly science experiments to..kids. You need the reason to justify they're wrong, twisted. But least is said.
So that leave me only thinking about how people will be desperate when the world they saw seems like it almost end.
I always come up with moral values every time i finished watching drama or reading book, but i can't outline many in this one. It leaves me with: human is complicated creature.
And hoping they won't kill Newt in Movie 3. Since Movie 3 is another potential thing of not being any close to Book 3. And the writer said in an interview after Movie Scorch Trial "I like Newt character..." he stops there, giving us hope that he will convince the director of Movie 3 to not kill Newt HAHA!
But at one point, i listened to a lecture on prophets, and Prophet Noah a.s is mentioned. Of how he's called the second Adam a.s. Because during Noah a.s. period, all human mankind had died during the largest flood in history, the one who survived were only the one in Noah a.s' ship. And mankind grow and civilized again after that.
Almost like the plot in Death Cure where the only ones survived were Immunes. Or maybe not.
Ok done for my last conflict in 2015 which was, or is: which is my fav character from Maze Runner series. Still can't choose between Minho and Newt *wink* Happy New Year!!!!
-Yana-
