Plot: What’s it about?
There’s an old saying that says there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. I’m not afraid of taxes. And, truthfully, I’m not really afraid of death. Every living thing will, at one point in time, cease to exist. And back in 2000 we were greeted with the first Final Destination film. I remember watching it and hadn’t heard of it theatrically, but the concept was fun and seeing these events unfold in a Rube-Goldberg manner was pretty interesting. For the uninitiated (and if you are, stop reading and watch at least one of the prior films before diving in here), these films try to answer the question as what happens when you interfere with death’s plan? The film’s roughly follow the same format, much in the same way the Saw movies did – rinse and repeat. But it’s been nearly a decade and a half since the previous installment. That’s right, more time has passed between the release of Final Destination 5 and this film than the original to Final Destination 5. Confused? Don’t be. Watch and have fun.
We get an extended “premonition” scene in which a young couple is getting ready to start their lives. Atop a Skyview restaurant (note: it’s not the Seattle Space Needle), things go from bad to worse and, well, we jump forward to present day. College student Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) is having nightmares about her grandmother’s premonition. It turns out that she’s managed to cheat death and now it’s coming for her and her brother, Charlie (Teo Briones) as well as cousins Julia (Anna Lore), Bobby (Owen Patrick Joyner) and Erik (Richard Harmon). Stefani has to convince her family as to what’s happening, while trying to wrangle up all the estranged members of the gang to hopefully stay alive. This begs the question: can she? If you’ve ever seen one of these films, you’ll know the answer.
The first five films managed to follow the same plot and, by and large, this one does as well. But what sets this latest installment apart from the others is that it throws in a generational element into the mix. It’s one thing to “cheat” death, but if you’ve been doing it for over half a century – the long-lasting implications might be a little more severe. And unlike other installments, the opening sequence actually comes into play later on in the film (in a few ways). But all the devices are there with some pretty gruesome deaths, a new cast and the final appearance of the late, great Tony Todd who once again reprises his role as Bludworth. His ending scene really is impactful and it’s clear from his physical presence that he didn’t have much time. If seeing folks meet their demise is your thing, this one is for you. And producer Craig Perry has a video that details each and every death of every Final Destination film. It’s worth checking out.
Video: How’s it look?
There are some films where a picture-perfect image is a good thing. I’m now reconsidering if that’s a “good thing” when you see someone get impaled through the eye or seeing someone get their head chopped in half in a garbage truck? Hmmm, I’ll get back to you on that. Nevertheless, the film’s 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image is, of course, pristine – just as we’d expect. Some scenes are a bit muted, the movie was shot in the Pacific Northwest, so the cloud-covered skies tend to make way for this kind of effect. Regardless, the detail is off the charts (which, again, is a double-edged sword), colors pop and contrast is well-balanced. In short, it’s exactly what we’d expect from a new-to-the-format film on 4K. Viewers shall not be disappointed.
Audio: How’s it sound?
If you’ve ever wondered what the exact sound is made when a running lawnmower lands on man’s face sounds like, well I’ve got great news for you – the wait is over! That aside, we all know what to expect with these films and if memory serves, this is the first one that’s been presented in Dolby Atmos. Not that it’s a necessity, but it does add a bit more fuel to the fire (spoiler for the opening scene, sorry). From the sound of a penny being flipped to a spear impaling a woman’s scalp from behind, we’ve got all the bases covered here (in an audio sense). Vocals are crisp and clear. Surrounds are active. This one delivers.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – The film’s duo of Adam Stein & Zach Lipovsky give us a very heart-felt and fresh track. Given the time that’s passed between this installment and the previous one, they’ve had time to kill (pardon the pun), get things right and enlighten us with facts from the shoot, working with Tony Todd on his last film and, of course, those gruesome deaths.
- Death Becomes Them: On the Set of Final Destination Bloodlines – The cast and dynamic directing duo of the film tell about their experiences on set and what fun surprises they managed to sneak in for the fans.
- The Many Deaths of Bloodlines – From the collapse of the Skyview Restaurant to the world’s worst MRI, we get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the most gruesome Final Destination deaths yet!
- The Legacy of Bludworth – In essence, an homage to Tony Todd as the actor reflects on the decades-spanning legacy of his iconic character and re-examines Bludworth’s impact on the franchise now that all has been revealed.
The Bottom Line
The Final Destination movies are, for me at least, a guilty pleasure. There’s something oddly satisfying about watching the ways in which these characters meet their maker. Yeah, I know, it’s morbid but it’s also fun. This latest installment gives us more of the same, while expanding the storyline at the same time. Couple that with reference-quality audio and video and you’ve got a winner.
