"Maze Runner" was an unexpected surprise in the genre of theatrical movie adaptations of young adult dystopian science fiction.

"Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" is pretty much a mess.The first film was "Hunger Games" without the reality show trappings. It was "Lord of the Flies," with every teen out for his or herself. Who in a middle school or high school homeroom, study hall or cafeteria has not experienced that?Since the sequel is not worth spending your hard-earned part-time job or parents' spending money on, we'll cut right to the spoiler alert:Zombies.Yep, yep, zombies (aka Cranks) have turned "Maze Runner" into a zombie apocalypse movie. What's an apocalypse movie without zombies?The zombie plot is not played for laughs, as in a dark comedy like "Zombieland" (2009). The "Maze" sequel takes its zombies seriously.The zombies occupy what might have been the Mall of America. The zombies are in the food court area, obviously. It's just another day at the maul. Where's Rob Zombie when you need him?That's the plot: zombies and running away from zombies.Despite the protagonists being outside of the maze, they are thrust into an underground tunnel system that looks like a maze. And there's another nifty slide under the closing bunker door.Director Wes Ball ("Maze Runner," 2014), working from a screenplay by T.S. Nowlin ("Maze Runner") based on the novel by James Dashner ("The Maze Runner: The Death Cure," 2017) throws in a trendy rave-EDM (Electronic Dance Music) scene, "Burning Man" scene, "Mad Max" vehicle and Charlie Manson-like cult leader to advance the plot.The screenplay plays on another cliche: Millennials (Gladers) versus baby boomers (WCKD).Whereas there was sufficient character development and script dialogue in "Maze Runner," the sequel lacks such moments. The dialogue mostly consists of "Let's go. Let's go.""Maze" plays on youthful confusion, climate change, the Ebola virus, stem cell harvesting and the international refugee crisis in its attempts at relevancy and high-mindedness.The young cast is back: Dylan O'Brien (Thomas), Ki Hong Lee (Minho), Kaya Scodelario (Teresa), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Newt), Dexter Darden (Frypan), Alexander Flores (Winston) and Jacob Lofland (Aris). There's also Aidan Gillen (Janson), Giancarlo Esposito (Jorge), Rosa Salazar (Brenda) and Lili Taylor (Mary). Patricia Clarkson (Ava Paige) is back in what is not much more than a cameo.In the final scene, Jorge says to Thomas, "It's a good speech, kid. So, what's your plan?"The camera locks in on Thomas's grimace.Cut to "The Maze Runner: The Death Cure," set for release in 2017 and in preproduction."Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials," MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.) for extended sequences of violence and action, some thematic elements, substance use and language; Genre: Action, Science-Fiction, Thriller; Run time: 2 hrs., 32 mins.; Distributed by 20th Century Fox.Credit Readers Anonymous: "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" was filmed in New Mexico.Box Office, Sept. 25: "Hotel Transylvania 2" opened at No. 1 with $47.5 million, keeping "The Intern" opening at No. 2 with $18.2 million, dropping "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" from No. 1 to No. 3, with $14 million, $51.6 million, two weeks;4. "Everest," $13 million, $23.1 million, two weeks; 5. "Black Mass," $11.5 million, $42.6 million, two weeks; 6. "The Visit," $6.7 million, $52.2 million, three weeks; 7. "The Perfect Guy," $4.7 million, $48.8 million, three weeks; 8. "War Room," $4.2 million, $55.9 million, five weeks; 9. "The Green Inferno," $3.4 million, opening; 10. "Sicario," $1.7 million, $2.3 million, two weeksUnreel, Oct. 2: "The Martian," PG-13: Ridley Scott directs Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig and Kate Mara in the science-fiction film about an astronaut presumed dead on Mars."Freeheld," PG-13: Peter Sollett directs Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell and Michael Shannon in the drama about a New Jersey police lieutenant and her domestic partner."Sicario," R: Denis Villeneuve directs Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro and Jon Bernthal in the crime thriller about an FBI agent in the war on drugs at the United States-Mexico border."Shanghai," R: Mikael Håfström directs John Cusack, Li Gong, Yun-Fat Chow and David Morse in a drama set in 1940s Shanghai."He Named Me Malala," PG-13: Davis Guggenheim directs the documentary about Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani school girl attacked by the Taliban.