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Adventure horror film

Dave Made a Maze (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Dave Made a Maze (2017) movie poster

Dave Made a Maze is a 2017 adventure horror film directed by Bill Watterson, starring James Urbaniak, Nick Thune and Meera Rohit Kumbhani. It runs 1 hour 20 minutes and earned $34,117 worldwide. Critics gave it 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.

IMDb rating
6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
85%
worldwide gross
$34.1K
Echo Score
70
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Dave Made a Maze (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 20m (80 min)
Director
Bill Watterson
Genres
Adventure , Horror , Comedy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Dave Made a Maze About?

The premise of Dave Made a Maze without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Artist Dave's creative frustrations manifest as a sprawling, cardboard maze, trapping him within his own creation. Determined to escape, his girlfriend Annie and a group of explorers venture into the labyrinth, encountering unexpected booby traps, bizarre creatures, and unsettling challenges that test their courage and sanity. The increasingly surreal adventure explores themes of creativity, isolation, and the perils of unchecked imagination.

Dave Made a Maze Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • maze
  • surrealism
  • artist
  • origami
  • monster
  • minotaur
  • cardboard
  • art
  • tesseract
  • turning into cardboard
  • time lapse photography
  • absurdism
+38 more
  • paper flame
  • cartoon version of characters
  • origami bird
  • death maze
  • boyfriend girlfriend relationship
  • microphone
  • video camera
  • trap
  • optical illusion
  • beard
  • documentary filmmaker
  • title spoken by character
  • apartment
  • watching a movie
  • black and white sequence
  • trance
  • injured hand
  • paper vagina
  • 30 year old
  • broke
  • anger
  • microphone boom
  • reference to john cougar mellencamp
  • paper stalagmite
  • shadow dancer
  • rescue
  • duffle bag
  • high five
  • paper mask
  • flashback
  • flash forward
  • coffee
  • wine
  • wedding dress
  • paper costume
  • wadding up paper
  • candle
  • paranormal phenomenon
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Cast & crew

Dave Made a Maze Cast

James Urbaniak leads the cast, with Nick Thune and Meera Rohit Kumbhani. Directed by Bill Watterson; 13 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

Dave Made a Maze Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Dave Made a Maze 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 70/100, strongest in sensory experience (85) and weakest in character & emotion (50).

70 /100

Dave Made a Maze Echo Score Breakdown

Dave Made a Maze excels in its imaginative visual concept but struggles with uneven narrative and character engagement. The production design of the cardboard labyrinth receives widespread praise for its originality and resourceful execution, while several viewers note that the novelty can feel stretched over the film’s brief runtime. Moreover, critical feedback highlights inconsistencies in pacing and a lack of emotional depth among characters. Overall, the film leaves a distinctive creative impression despite its narrative limitations.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 78

    In terms of art and craft, the film’s production design stands out for its inventive use of cardboard and origami-inspired set pieces. Critics and audiences alike commend the resourceful construction of the maze environments, while occasional comments note that the live-action segments recall a nostalgic television aesthetic. Although some viewers found the editing pace uneven, the overall craftsmanship and visual ingenuity remain consistently engaging.

  • Character & Emotion 50

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film presents underdeveloped protagonists and sporadic emotional resonance. Observers often mention that the acting ranges from spotty to serviceable, with limited chemistry among the ensemble. The narrative’s focus on quirky visuals over character depth contributes to a lack of meaningful growth, resulting in a viewing experience that feels emotionally thin. Overall, the character work falls short of the film’s creative ambitions.

  • Story & Flow 65

    In terms of story and flow, Dave Made a Maze offers a highly original premise set within a simplistic narrative framework. Comments highlight the clever conceit of an expanding cardboard labyrinth, though many note that the novelty loses momentum midway and the plot resolves abruptly. The pacing is occasionally uneven, and humor can feel sporadic alongside underdeveloped dramatic underpinnings. Ultimately, storytelling ingenuity coexists with structural limitations.

  • Sensory Experience 85

    When considering the sensory experience, the visual style emerges as the film’s most compelling asset. Reviewers praise the inventive sound design for supporting the surreal atmosphere. The handcrafted visual effects and cohesive art direction create a consistently immersive environment, though music and sound mixing receive limited attention. Overall, the sensory elements exhibit a high level of creativity and strengthen the viewing experience.

  • Rewatch Factor 70

    For rewatch factor, the film’s unique aesthetic offers potential appeal for subsequent viewings, though novelty may diminish with familiarity. Enthusiasts of inventive design and playful humor may revisit the cardboard maze sequences with renewed appreciation. However, the simple storyline and limited character development reduce lasting engagement over time. Overall, the rewatch value is moderate, primarily driven by visual invention rather than narrative depth.

Plot

Dave Made a Maze Plot Summary

What happens in Dave Made a Maze from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

As Annie departs for the weekend, Dave plunges into his latest artistic project, propelled by an unrelenting creative impulse. Despite a history of abandoning ideas midway and depending on his parents for financial aid, Dave experiences a breakthrough as he intricately crafts a cardboard fortress from the inside out. When Annie returns, she is taken aback by the seemingly mundane fort that conceals extraordinary attributes. As she timidly shakes the exterior, the multitude of machinery and sounds emanating from within sparks her curiosity.

Full summary

The whole story of Dave Made a Maze, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Dave Made a Maze Box Office

Dave Made a Maze grossed $34,117 worldwide.

2017 box office

Worldwide gross

$34.1K

US & Canada
$34.1K
Videos

Dave Made a Maze Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 teaser.

DAVE MADE A MAZE official US/Canada trailer
  • Teaser DAVE MADE A MAZE - Slamdance 2017 teaser
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Dave Made a Maze?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the primary material Dave uses to construct his maze?

Details

Dave Made a Maze Also Known As

13 alternative titles, including “紙迷宮” and “Дејв је направио лавиринт”.

Also known as
  • 紙迷宮
  • Дејв је направио лавиринт
  • Дэйв сделал лабиринт
  • 戴夫造了个迷宫
  • דייב עושה מצודה
  • Dave Fez um Labirinto
  • El Laberinto de Dave
  • Labyrint podle Davea
  • Дейв направи лабиринт
  • Dave és a labirintus
  • 데이브 미로 만들다: 판타스틱 미로 대탈출
  • 戴夫的神奇迷宮
+1 more
  • キラー・メイズ

Seen Dave Made a Maze?

FAQ

Dave Made a Maze FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Dave Made a Maze, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Dave Made a Maze?

Dave Made a Maze runs 1 hour 20 minutes (80 minutes).

When was Dave Made a Maze released?

Dave Made a Maze was released on August 18, 2017.

Who directed Dave Made a Maze?

Dave Made a Maze was directed by Bill Watterson.

More films by Bill Watterson

Who is in the cast of Dave Made a Maze?

Dave Made a Maze stars James Urbaniak, Nick Thune and Meera Rohit Kumbhani, among 13 credited actors.

How much did Dave Made a Maze make at the box office?

Dave Made a Maze grossed $34,117 worldwide.

How is Dave Made a Maze rated?

Dave Made a Maze has 6.3/10 on IMDb, 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 60 on Metacritic and 64% on TMDB.

Does Dave Made a Maze have a post-credit scene?

No. Dave Made a Maze has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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