The final chapter in the “Maze Runner” trilogy is a huge improvement over its predecessor. While the first film offered an intriguing premise (a bunch of kids trapped in a maze with no blueprint in hand), the second one decided to settle for formula, which was disappointing for me. “The Death Cure”, while not completely original, answers a lot of the remaining questions and gives fans of the series exactly what they would expect from a finale: a pulse-pounding climax. Assuming that we’re familiar with the characters and the events of the previous films, the movie cuts right to the chase: Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his friends have to break into the “Last City”, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth, in order to save more friends and put an end to this evil organization. There are some exciting action scenes and impressive visual effects, but it’s the characters and their dilemmas that propel this finale, even if it drags a little bit. Familiar faces return and everyone gets a proper sendoff, which is crucial in dystopian stories. Will it win over new fans? Probably not. But if you’ve followed Thomas’ adventures thus far, you’ll most certainly want to see how his story ends.

N.B: major props to the people behind this film for not splitting the final chapter into two parts.