MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE
Rousing, redemptive science fiction with adult-level content.
Should You Watch It?
Maze Runner: The Death Cure delivers a rousing conclusion to its science-fiction trilogy. The action and suspense are virtually non-stop, the production values are top notch, and the cast does a good job handling the story’s conflicts.
The movie also offers a strong Christian, redemptive, moral worldview. Its heroes put their lives on the line to save their friends, and its central moral message is that the ends do not justify the means. Still, the film contains 30 to 32 obscenities, intense violence, cannibalistic zombies, and an ending that does not deliver a total redemptive victory for the good guys.
So, discerning adults who can handle the content may find the film worth seeing, but it is not appropriate for children or young teens.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESThomas leads a group of young people fighting WCKD, a scientific organization experimenting on teenagers to find a cure for a virus that turns people into cannibalistic zombies.
When Thomas and his friends attempt to rescue young people imprisoned in a train car, their friend Minha is taken by the scientists’ henchmen. Thomas and several others follow them to the last urban refuge in America, where WCKD plans to continue its experiments.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a highly entertaining, polished action film. The action and suspense are virtually non-stop, and the production values are excellent. The cast does a good job handling the action and the story’s various conflicts.
The movie’s main weaknesses are a couple of apparent plot holes and an ending that does not quite deliver a totally satisfying, redemptive victory for the good guys. Even so, the film is a rousing conclusion to the trilogy.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong Christian, redemptive, moral worldview. The good guys put their lives on the line to save or help their friends. A strong moral message runs through the story: the ends do not justify the means. The good guys also honor the memory of the fallen.
The movie contains some Christian allegorical elements. The effort to cure the virus focuses on finding immunity in the blood of people whose antibodies can fight it. However, the ending drops some of these positive Christian elements: the whole world is not saved, some heroes die, and the movie’s uplifting aspects are left hanging somewhat.
The film’s central longing is for sacrificial rescue without compromising moral truth. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong Christian, redemptive, moral worldview with some Christian allegorical elements where people put their lives on the line to rescue their friends and there’s a strong moral message that the ends do not justify the means and a scene where the good guys honor the memory of the fallen, but the ending drops some of the positive Christian elements in that the whole world is not saved and some heroes die, though it looked like that the movie was headed in another, more positive direction, so the movie’s uplifting aspects are left hanging a bit
Foul Language
30 to 32 obscenities (many “s” and “h” words), one somewhat muffled Jesus profanity that may be missed while watching the movie and one clear GD profanity, plus people get sick from a virus
Violence
lots of strong intense violence includes many gun battles, chase scene with a train, several fight scenes, people are shot, one point blank shooting, explosions as masses of people riot, people jump from high places in one scene, cannibalistic zombies in a couple scenes, three or four cannibalistic zombie people swarm on top of a man, and it’s implied, but not shown, that they’re eating him, one or two people or more fall to their deaths
Sex
No sexual content or innuendoes but main henchman offers to run things with young woman at his side, but she refuses
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
No alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Strong miscellaneous immorality such as main henchman is on a power trip and is very cruel and selfish, scientists experiment on young people immune from zombie virus that spreads rapidly to find a cure for those who’ve caught the virus, people revolt but to their own destruction, and discussions about whether the ends justify the means, but movie sides with the idea that the ends don’t justify the means.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The movie argues that the ends do not justify the means. Why can a good goal still be pursued in a wrong way?
Romans 3:8 · Micah 6:8The good guys risk their lives to rescue their friends. What does sacrificial friendship look like in ordinary life?
John 15:13 · Philippians 2:3–4The film’s redemptive elements are complicated by loss and an incomplete victory. Where do Christians ultimately look for the complete rescue this story cannot provide?
Revelation 21:3–5 · Romans 8:23–25The Final Word
This is a polished, suspenseful conclusion with a strong moral center: the ends do not justify the means. But intense violence and heavy foul language make it a film for discerning adults, not children or young teens. Our answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For a family-friendly choice, see.
