We need to talk about The Death Cure (2/5)
We need to talk about the Death Cure :
- seriously, the level of preparation and timing this first scene would require in real life, to have this train stop at this exact spot, is ridiculous. I loved that scene, but stillâŚ. I only accept this is possible because it was awesome to see all of them again. And also, for their common grinning when it succeeds.
- we actually have a clue that theyâre picking the wrong wagon : Minho doesnât react to Thomas banging on the walls of the wagon, only to Thomasâ voice, and said voice comes from further than it should. I actually wanted to strangle Thomas afterwards, because BOY, if your target was Minho YOU SHOULD HAVE CHECKED BETTER. There was a grid on the top of the train, you could have looked inside!!!
- I donât like the easy, lazy ways to get out of some situations, especially from a series that didnât have that in previous episodes : a clear instance of that was the Berg shooting at Brenda and Jorge when their car is next to the train, but then the Berg ceases fire, even when the car has stopped, and they send all theit soldiers outside, conveniently not shooting Brenda and Jorge down.
- I love Minhoâs hallucination sequence. At first, I read it as a gift to fans, but then I wondered if it also worked as a symbol of Minhoâs psyche? It could say a lot : the Glade is seen deserted, seemingly very recently abandonned, given that thereâs still smoke coming from a fire, and hammocs are still hanging. It looks both familiar and gloomy, in a way. I analysed it as a symbol that despite them having left the Glade for a long time, their time in the Glade is still fresh in his mind ; itâs both a comfort memory and somewhere he doesnât want to return, and also, linked to the memories of friends, that are both heart-warming and painful given most are dead. âŚâŚ.also, who is this kid that runs through the Glade?? a symbol of Thomas? Of Newt? âŚâŚwhatever explanation to this sequence, I just loved it, it was absolutely breathtaking and sad too. âŚâŚplus, I think it was interesting that his dream ended with a situation of helplessness despite having tried to escape, just like he must feel all day, trapped at WCKD as a lab rat⌠ç___ç
- also, him running from the Griever, in fright, took me back to The Fever Code. Because we know Minho is not a coward, so it does look like a frantic reflex, and I couldnât help thinking back of how he got tortured as a kid. ç___ç
- I also love how they illustrate Teresaâs complexity. That first scene we have of her, watching Miho being torturedâŚ. sheâs flinching almost imperceptibly, but sheâs also forcing herself to look : is she forcing herself to watch this as self-punishment? As a way to prove her allegiance to WCKD (given that Ava is watching her)? Or as a way to make sure Minho is being treated decently?
 On their way to the Last City :
- as fun as the crank tunnel scene was (âŚ..or rather, scary fun, since I kept alternating between chuckling and jumping in scare), seriously, guys??? Turn off the shucking lights of your car!!!! Gods, you really have a death wishâŚ.. OR GO FOR IT AT TOP SPEED!!! I also loved that were they not rescued last minute, they would have died here. Because yeah, for the first (?) time, one of Thomasâ crazy plans doesnât work. He hasnât planned things through and he fails miserably. It happens again right after this, when they reach the protest ; Thomas wants to run head-first, blindly, to use this as a way to get in (just like he did up until now, save for the train attack that was so obviously a group effort) aaaandâŚ. Jorge tells him itâs not even crazy, itâs unrealistic. This time, thereâs no miracle, no spur-of-the-moment solution to be found. And indeed, they barely avoid being killed. I like how this highlights that Thomas is NOT a good leader and should learn not to jump into things. (âŚ.is it hopeless?)
- I loved that at Lawrenceâs Rebels Headquarters, the Gladers seem to rekindle their link, the special relation between all of them. They clearly ignore Brenda, Jorge or the Rebels for that matter. Itâs conveyed both through their dialogues and through the looks they throw at each other. Suddenly, their world seems to make sense again, because theyâre together. (GLADERS FOR THE WIN!!)
- I liked what they did with Shai, because though some will say this development was to be expected, I didnât think so. And I sympathised so much with Teresa in these scenes, I think you can really understand why she did all this, trying to save this little girl âŚ..or rather, trying to save everyone, but all these victims were being embodied in a child, innocent and young, ; which is also working really well to explain how terrible this disease is and how important it would be to find a cure. (I think itâs also an echo of the second film, when Teresa smiles when looking at a little girlâs picture, wondering where she went, and is the only one reacting this way, the boys being focused on their own survival).
- that scene with Teresa spotting Thomas through the crowd was absolutely beautiful, and very interesting. I think itâs meant to make the spectator questions, what sheâs seeing, if Thomas is really here or if her guilt is playing tricks with her mindâŚ. âŚâŚIt was perfect I LOVED it so MUCH, oh gods *_____* and then their whole conversation, where each stands by their opinion and you can see the moment Thomas loses faith in Teresa and she feels it, from the way he sounds both bitter and broken, and it hurts them both, and the music was beautiful andâŚ.. *sobs* it was amazing <3 âDo you regret?â âSometimes, but Iâd do it again.â âGood.â I would have wanted to be in Thomasâ mind sooooo much, when heâs letting her see him, knowing sheâd follow, I wanted soooo much to know how he was feeling at that time.
- I also loved the scene where Ava is having a drink in her office, clearly accepting her defeatâŚ. It was beautiful, aesthetically speaking. Plus, it empathised the difference between her and Janson. Her talking gives the impression she is not willing to do anything for her survival, contrary to Janson. But I think itâs wrong ; she IS willing to do anything, as long as thereâs a chance. Now that itâs clear theyâre doomed, sheâll let the boat sink while enjoying her alcohol. Janson, on the other hand, is still believing in his chances of survival regardless of how bad the situation is. In a way, he shares this desperate survival instinct with Thomas (.....in a way, I know they have very different values, donât throw stones at me). I also liked that this is the first hint of Janson rebelling against Ava, in this. It also took me two viewings, to understand how pivotal this scene is, in setting a chain of events, because itâs THAT conversation that leads Janson to order the desperate serum collect on Minho, in an emergency (which had sounded a bit convenient on first viewing).
- Gally interrogating Teresa was made of gold, I chuckled sooo much, but he was convincing too, I mean he was badass *___* and seriously, anyone wanting to write a Cop!Gally fic?? Please?? Plus, him getting angry about WCKDâs torturing Minho was just <3, as well as him being suspicious and protective when Thomas talks with her.
- I think in that moment Thomas hates her, as shown in his coldness to her and heated conversation afer the interrogation. I also think this scene is probably key regarding making him shift his feelings towards Gally. I also loved that Newt stays quiet and silent, even when Gally and Fry are talking about Teresa : on the one hand, it says a lot that he doesnât stop them when he had been protective about her in the previous movies, but it also says a lot that he doesnât take part in this conversation, even when we know heâs been suffocated by jealousy not too long ago (is he trying to remain in control and show heâs not affected by the Flare?).
- Finally, I adored the fact that despite her situation, Teresaâs brain is still focused on her scienntific research ; while Thomas lets himself get blinded by his resentment, sheâs still very much in control of herself.
- The only thing I would have taken out of this scene, is the conversation between Brenda and Jorge, or rather, I would have kept it, but would not have played it to make it sound like Jorge is ârunning from a fightâ (especially since it makes fucking sense heâs the one going to the Berg, given that in the book, heâs a pilot, so he could have been a pilot too, in another life, in movie!verse. Would explain him knowing so much about this Last City).
Infiltrating WCKDâs HQ :
- this scene of Thomas, Newt and Gally infiltrating WCKD HQ, joining smoothly and silently, was so very cool XD even though okay, guys, I still donât see why you needed to separate or where you got these uniforms. Iâll forgive you, movie, because it looked so very cool. AlsoâŚ. did I get a Star Wars reference in this scene of them rescueing the captured Immunes? Because it looked a loooot like the rescue of Princess Leia in A New Hope (which pleased me soooo much as a fan), complete with Skywalker!Newt opening the door of the cell and taking off his helmet after being mistaken for a real soldier <3 it was awesome <3 thank you moviiiiiie for this SW hommage :3 (though honestly, Thomas, how DUMB are you??? LOOK AT NEWT, does he LOOK allright??? He can force the safe, you know he can, so wtf, man up and make him stay there, take Gally with you, you IDIOT!!!)
- I loved the whole elevator scene, with Janson covering his bases now that he canât count on Ava anymore (gotta love how coldly strategic the man is, even when infected). Also, Teresa looks downright terrified, and I think I misinterpreted this at first : I donât think sheâs afraid of Janson in this, given that she is never shown scared of him in any other scene. I think sheâs terrified of Thomas in this. Of Thomas losing control, acting impulsively and rashly, the way she knows he can. Weâre shown she knows him well, too : even though he managed to boil in silence for a grand 2 minutes, he ends up bumping into Jansonâs shoulder on his way out, and Iâm 80% convinced that Janson wouldnât have smelled something was fishy had Thomas refrained from doing this. So Teresa was right to be terrified. Notice, though, how she manages to actually save the situation and still save her skin, while still pursuing her objective of finding a cure, wasnât she awesome???? I think itâs also the very moment Thomas starts to believe in her again.
- Also, note that this is the single instance of Newt being snarly towards Teresa (âsheâs trying to get into your headâ), which sadly sounded like jealousy/illness taking control of him and leading to a self-destruction attitude, kinda (made me wonder if the virus was able to kinda âprotect itselfâ and distorted Newtâs perceptions, so they there would be no tries to cure it).
- âŚâŚAnd gods, Thomas letting his anger get the best of him, taking off his helmet, yelling that there is no cure, is so intense, so stupidly Thomas, it was brilliant.
 - itâs only a side note, but I enjoyed so much Jansonâs angry order to shut off the alarm. Because Iâm working in an job environement where there are alarms sometimes and itâs the most annoying sound, thereâs no one in the whole universe who wouldnât want it to be turned off once itâs started to ring.
- the whole rescuing Minho phase was quite interesting, but what got my attention in this was more Minho (âŚ.and Newtâs state deteriorating ç___ç ). Berserk!Minho FTW XD The rest belongs to the pairings section of these comments, save for the fact that for once in this movie, one of Thomasâ crazy last-minute stunts succeeds (whooohoooo).
- Iâm basically sold whenever Gally is in a scene, BUT I had been bothered by his last minute rescue of our trio, after their little jump. Well thinking about it during my second viewing, I have to admit it actually makes sense, and Gallyâs strategy is wise. Waiting till the last minute to shoot the three soldiers enables him to come closer to his targets (less risk of failing when aiming from this close) plus it gives him a better surprise effect (given that their attention must have been on the trio, and it would have taken precious seconds to realize theyâre actually targeted by one of their own). So okay, clever, here, movie.
- I really loved the whole Rebels attacking the Last City. Not only because the aesthetic here is beautiful, but because it was realistic. I was caught once in a protest that went wrong (âŚ.but not that wrong) and I got the very same feeling. LikeâŚ. this revolt had good basis, tbh. It was justified, fueled by the unfairness of the situation, the inequalities and the despair of all these people that feel (rightfully so) like theyâve been abandonned and left to die. Yet, once the attack starts, it clearly gets out of control, and instead of a revolt, weâre dealing with wild destruction.
- Gally seems both surprised and somehow mesmerized by that (if Iâm not mistaken). And I loved it. I was wondering what was going on in his mind in that moment, really. After his initial reaction, though, did you notice how during this whole mess, Gally stay clear headed, clearly protecting them all, giving out warnings and orders, taking control, combat trained and efficient?? because it was awesome *___*  (my only problem with this scene, really, was that it was risky to keep their soldier uniforms, though really, taking them off was risky too, as they offer protection, so⌠*shrugs*)
- Also, we get clear confirmation that Thomas was wrong : Lawrence didnât want time. He wanted a supposed kind of justice, which was probably only revenge or a way to punish and lash out at the people he sees responsible for his fate. But what he starts is actually raw violence, blind destruction, that has nothing to do with justice, and it felt realistic.
- I love that this revolution is getting out of control and causing a mess and destruction and is actually another cause of Newtâs death, given that even if it distracts the soldiers, it also prevents Brenda and the boys to reach Newt and Thomas on time. And it is pretty ironic and sad, because the Gladers are the spark that lit this fire.
- I wonât write a lot about Newtâs death. Because itâs been discussed much already. But I liked it, even though I still wishes it had been closer to the books (because I thought it was really cruel, to have Thomas purposely shooting Newt).
- I love the desperate running through hell, the fact that theyâre clearly trying, giving it their best, trying to believe despite all odds, that theyâre going to make itâŚ. âŚ..but what really gets me are the goodbyes. Newt thanking Minho, which you can read as thanks for being his friend, thanks for having saved his life and maybe so much more. But also, I read it as a âthank you for going to Brenda to retrieve the serum and coming back to meâ, as Newt going with Thomasâ lie that it will be okay, that heâs going to make it, all so that Minho doesnât see the horrible final moments, all so Minho can feel active instead of passively accepting whatâs going on. And Gally goes with it too, even though I think heâs the one knowing the most whatâs going to happen, heâs almost gentle with them here and it broke my heart.
- I also loved the desperate way Thomas is carrying Newtâs body, because I could easily understand, the way youâre exhausted but still trying and yet itâs not enough, and you just want to collapse and thereâs a sob right there in your throat⌠DOB really delivers there, all through this, his face during the desperate call from Teresa (which, again, is straaaangely happening right before Newt looses it to the Flare).
- I love the way they mannage to show that Newt is still fighting the illness, that he fights desperately to remain in control and kill himself now itâs clear there wonât be any miracles, and I think that Thomas understands this. However, Thomas being Thomas, he denies suicide to Newt (because thereâs a hope, thereâs always a hope, heâs been through so many desperate moments, and heâs always managed, thereâs always hope, just wait a little longer, just bear with this a seond more), and I think he is fueling Newtâs frustration and anger and making it more difficult to remain in control, like a vicious circle of pain.
- as said, I was really touched by Brendaâs running, heroically, flying with this life-saving miracle, but that it was in vain. And Thomasâs reaction, when Newt dies, godsâŚ. The hurt, the guilt, the anger, the silent accusation when his eyes meet with Brendaâs and sheâs too late, sheâs too late when it was the only moment she should not have been. All with nothing but music, it was heart-breaking. But what made it worse was all of the boys reactions afterwards. Thomas, unable to deal with this, unable to stay, fueled by his guilt and hate (hesitating between hate towards WCKD or towards himself). Gally EDIT : it was not Gally, it was Fryyyyyy (Sorry Fry ç__ç), kneeling, solemn, paying respect to Newt but breaking down soon after. But worst of all, Minho, collapsing, falling to his knees, like he canât stand anymore, like his life is over too (reminding me of when he thought, in the Maze, that they were all condemned). ç____ç
Janson and Teresaâs deaths :
- Iâm torn, about the last scene with Janson. I like that youâre given a clear understanding of Teresaâ motivations and the line she draws, the difference with Janson (and probably Ava). I also love that neither Teresa nor Thomas reallly stand a chance in a fight against Janson, and weâre reminded that these are teenagers, fighting against a grown man, a trained and cold-minded opponent (even if heâs infected). I also absolutely love the way Thomas reacts to being shot, in disbelief (probably having felt but a sting, with the adrenaline) and then collapsing; Teresaâs reflexes to stop the bleedingâŚ. but also, in this moment, them rekindling their relation, showing that they are still important to eachother. I also think, in this moment, that Teresa understands that she has lost the fight too, like Ava. Except thereâs still someone left to protect, Thomas, and sheâs fighting for him with all she has ç____ç
On the other hand, and despite all those great things... I loathed the Deus ex Explosions. As well as the suddenly easily breakable glass in the Cranksâ cage. It spoiled the scene a little for me.
- Teresaâs death scene broke me. Sheâs carried him with the same determination as he carried Newt, but with even more strength, before they collapse. And when she tells him, brokenly, that she tried (an echo of Thomas wanting to try to save everyone), we get this shot of the cure, drenched in blood, and I think in that moment she sees it as a symbol of the suffering she caused, of the price that had to be paid, for one single vialâŚ. *sobs* I also like how much she fights to get him to safety, but also the fact that once he is safe, she just stops. I heard people complaining, saying it was a lazy death because she had time to get into the Berg. I donât think it was lazy. I think it was suicide. She accepts her fate, smiling, not even trying to get into the berg.
Apart from this, I hated the shot of them all watching her fall. But in general, I have mixed feelings about deaths in TMR (I loved Benâs banishing but hated Chuckâs death, it was too much, too forced).
- On a side note, I loved that Vince takes the time to secure himself before approaching the void, while Minho doesnât, and also loved the whole groupâs reactions, belatedly, to Thomasâ wound.
- basically, I loved the whole Paradise scene. It was rewarding, as a fan, to see them reaching happiness. Yet, it also broke my heart to watch this, and I loved how, instead on focusing on their happy end, they decided to focus on remembering the ones who are missing. I think thatâs what survivors would need. To try not to feel guilty. To try to have something familiar with them. But also to create a link between these people that are basically strangers, a link through the fact that they all lost important people. It seemed incredibly human, to end this trilogy on remembering the characters that were lost along the way.
- âŚâŚâŚand Newtâs reading his letter. I donât know whose idea it was but itâs both emotional, cruel and brilliant ç___ç
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