Justin Lowe: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’: Film Review.The Hollywood Reporter, 7. September 2015, abgerufen am 20. Oktober 2015 (englisch). “The second installment … lacks a similar sense of originality and urgency, undercut by overly familiar characterizations and dilatory pacing … this imperative increasingly diverges from the realm of speculative fiction that forms the basis of the book series in favor of an action-adventure format that may not offer the same degree of wide appeal … A significant portion of The Scorch Trials is devoted to filling in the narrative gaps essential to maintaining the veil of mystery that characterized The Maze Runner and the Gladers’ ignorance … Ironically, as more facts emerge, they tend to undermine the storyline rather than reinforce it … T.S. Nowlin can’t manage to convincingly frame the backstory … While distracting, this lack of specificity doesn’t hold back the plot, which essentially becomes an interconnected series of chase scenes … dodging Cranks and slogging across sand dunes seem fairly routine by comparison, noticeably reducing tension for the Gladers, while neglecting to systematically raise the stakes … O’Brien imbues the role of Thomas with a degree of determined stoicism that appears little evolved since the franchise’s first installment, relying more on withholding emotion than displaying it … Clarkson’s steely Ava Paige provides timely details on the reasons behind their incarceration, but her antagonism remains so impersonal it’s almost theoretical … Cinematically, Ball attempts to sustain engagement by providing each successive setting with a different combination of threats and distinctive stylistic treatment, borrowing from drama, thriller and horror genres. While the technique adds visual diversity, it’s not particularly cohesive, lending the sequences a distinctly episodic quality that only fitfully builds momentum, an impression reinforced by sometimes-inconsistent visual effects that detract from Daniel T. Dorrance’s otherwise imaginative production design.”
John Williams: Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ Pits Hardy Teenagers Against a Mysterious Organization. In: The New York Times. 18. September 2015, S.C8 (nytimes.com [abgerufen am 20. Oktober 2015]). “‘The Scorch Trials’ adds nothing new to the unkillable dystopian genre, but it’s at least less ponderous than its predecessor. The many chases and ludicrous narrow escapes offer respectable doses of adrenaline.”
Brian Truitt: Review: ‘Scorch Trials’ heat up ‘Maze’ series. In: USA Today.Gannett Company, 17. September 2015, abgerufen am 28. Oktober 2015 (englisch). “a completely clichéd scenario totally works in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials … Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers find a satisfying, teen-friendly way to combine rebellion, politics, science and a lot of jogging for a broad audience … O’Brien, Brodie-Sangster and Lee again are the best aspects of the franchise … the threesome has a great chemistry. O’Brien also proves he’s one of Hollywood’s more interesting leading boy-men … Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) is the best new addition to the Maze Runner world … It’s hard to get a sense of geography of the place … With the bigger sense of scale in the sequel, however, viewers are left wondering about the details not addressed. It’s a minor quibble and one easily set aside, considering that Maze Runner‘s action, suspense and twists give movie fans of all ages a chance to embrace their inner on-the-run teenager.”