Directed by: Zach Lipovsky & Adam B. Stein
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
Written by Alexander Reams
65/100
Many franchises can claim a level of influence over the genre. “Friday the 13th” made us look at the woods with a second glance, George Romero’s “Living Dead” series changed how we see the undead, and “Halloween” set the gold standard for what a horror villain could be. Yet one franchise maintains a notable level of influence that seeps into the real world with visceral immediacy. If the next words you read are “log truck,” there’s a good chance you recall the iconic sequence in “Final Destination 2” where a logging truck derails and sets off a series of kills that includes a log going through a driver’s side window—imagery that cemented the franchise’s reputation for outdoing each previous film’s elaborate death sequences (sequelitis, as it’s more eloquently known). The third delivered a rollercoaster accident, the fourth (not “Final Destination 4,” but “The Final Destination”) orchestrated a stock car wreck, and the fifth constructed an incredibly accomplished sequence on a bridge that simultaneously strips down while layering character development, creating tension in conversation with each screw that comes undone and every snapped cable.
Now, nearly 14 years later, “Final Destination” returns to claim a new group of fodder when they inexplicably escape their predetermined deaths—except this time, these characters were supposed to die before they were ever born. Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Janos) experiences nightmares of a horrific bridge collapse, except the star of these visions is her grandmother, Iris Campbell (Brec Bassinger in flashbacks, Gabrielle Rose in present day). The film opens with young Iris and her date Paul as they race to the opening of the Skyview restaurant, perched atop a towering structure. As they rush inside, we quickly hear that “the building was finished months ahead of construction”—anyone versed in “Final Destination” lore knows these are breadcrumbs for catastrophe. To distill the chaos: the glass floor shatters, fire erupts and explodes upon hitting an exposed gas line, the elevator cables snap, and someone gets bisected—all of which is beautifully captured through cinematography that maintains the franchise’s standard of finding beauty within extreme macabre.
Eventually, these nightmares drive Stefani home to her brother Charlie (Teo Briones), cousin Erik Campbell (Richard Harmon), Julia (Anna Lore), and Bobby (Owen Patrick Joyner). Janos, Briones, Harmon, and Joyner become the driving forces of the film, while peripheral characters exist primarily for what their deaths can signify—notably Howard Campbell’s (Erik, Julia, and Bobby’s father) demise at a family barbecue after an estimated twelve different kill setups before the axe finally swings. Once reality sets in for our leads, fear and chaos follow, which directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein exploit to masterful effect. The tease becomes more apparent throughout this film than any previous entry; entire methods and executions for deaths are discussed, visualized, and we expect them to play out as telegraphed—only for a left-field truck to barrel through the frame, or for the kill to unfold in the background while Stefani, Erik, and Bobby converse in the foreground. It’s simultaneously horrifying and infused with much-needed levity. The film doesn’t rely on traditional jokes; instead, blocking, framing, and rack focus create comedy through pure visual storytelling without a word spoken.
While all of this works—and it’s refreshing to see a horror film invest equally in character development and technical execution through practical stunts (Harmon’s work in the tattoo parlor sequence ranks among the franchise’s best), mixed with the large-scale Skyview sequence that becomes almost Rashomon-like with its multiple perspectives—the film ultimately buckles under the weight of its ambitions. Despite being the franchise’s longest entry at 110 minutes, in the grand scheme of contemporary horror where directors enjoy greater creative freedom, this is a film that begs for more breathing room to explore the sheer volume of information the filmmakers want to communicate. There isn’t sufficient time to flesh out all the characters, and for a film that prioritizes character development, it feels like a betrayal—a half-hearted decision to focus on one element or another without fully committing to either path.
“Final Destination Bloodlines”
You can connect with Alexander and see more of his work on his website: http://alexanderwreams.com/