Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

The maze is gone, so this sequel turns into a 131-minute cardio class across a sandy wasteland. Thomas sprints, everybody sprints after him, and the plot jogs along somewhere behind. Dylan O’Brien commits hard and sells the panic every time. Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s Newt is still the best character in the series, and Giancarlo Esposito shows up as a scavenger boss and instantly makes things more interesting. Aidan Gillen plays a shady official with a smile you wouldn’t trust to hold a door. A chase through a crumbling city is genuinely tense, and the Cranks deliver a few good jolts without getting gross. The real problem is the story. It’s a stack of mysteries teased and then shelved for the next movie, and Teresa’s arc goes nowhere you’ll care about. It made $312.3 million worldwide on a reported $61M, so the running clearly paid. A 3.8 because it’s all motion and no direction. $807 says you jog to your car in a parking lot this week and glance back like the Cranks are coming.

What works: Dylan O’Brien’s commitment and Giancarlo Esposito’s sly scavenger give the endless running some spark.

What doesn’t: The plot is a pile of teased mysteries pushed to the next movie, and the middle hour is just chase after chase.

Who it’s for: Fans of the first movie who want to see the Gladers keep going, and teens who like their dystopias fast.