15 Unexpectedly Awesome 2014 Movies Everyone Thought Would Suck

12. The Maze Runner

Why It Should Have Sucked: Yet another Young Adult novel adaptation starring young up-and-coming actors you've probably never heard of? Isn't anyone over the age of 15 just totally tired of these movies being churned out by now? Why It Was Awesome: Wes Ball's directorial debut tears away the generic cobwebs of the teen fantasy movie to deliver a surprisingly entertaining and thoughtful film that, in large part due to its restrained $34 million budget, lacks the ridiculous excess of other similar franchises such as The Hunger Games and Divergent. More so than either of these movies, it doesn't take itself quite so seriously, while crafting a more interesting mythology, aided by a strong cast of youngsters and solid work from director Ball. More a fun adventure than a grim dirge, The Maze Runner fashions a template that more YA adaptations could look to emulate in the future, and of course, a sequel is already in the works.