"Death... doesn't like to be cheated."
Quick, scroll down and check the score out. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Surprised? Yes, Final Destination 5 is actually quite good. Is it ridiculous? Yes. Is it stupid at times? Yes. Does that stop if from being entertaining? No. First things first, I did not see this in 3D so I cannot comment on those effects. Second and perhaps surprisingly, this is only one of two Final Destination movies that I’ve seen (the other being number 2). So how is it that someone who’s only seen one other film in the franchise and in general dislikes horror/gore movies somehow finds this good? Well to put it simply, Final Destination 5 is filled with gruesome fun. From the expertly staged opening disaster of a suspended bridge collapse to the succession of violent deaths of the main cast, Final Destination 5 gets all the pieces right.
The plot is pretty much the same as the other four movies; one person gets a premonition of a coming disaster and “saves” a bunch of people by keeping them away from whatever catastrophe the writers throw at them this time, but of course death has a way of catching up everyone, in the most grisly ways imaginable. It’s a tried and true formula in both the franchise and horror films in general, but Final Destination 5 keeps the film moving and doesn’t get bogged down in trivial matters like “realism.”
As with all the Final Destination movies, they do a good job of building suspense for the kills. We, as the audience, know that these people will die (especially after 4 previous films) so it’s admirable that the script and direction can still keep us on the edge of the seat wondering which knick-knack will set off a chain of events that, ultimately, will result in a CG bloodbath (most of the deaths have great foreshadowing or a thematic connection to how they were ‘supposed’ to die in the bridge accident as well).
Probably the biggest highlight of number 5 though, is how it really ties the franchise together. Towards the end we get a montage of all the previous deaths throughout the past four movies, but what really shines, are the small moments that really connect the movies; the plane from the first movie, the logging truck from the second, the “Hice Pale Ale” beer that is seen throughout the films, background appearances by other Final Destination characters, and more just do a great job of giving a small nod to any fans of the series watching. The ending is by far the best thing about the movie and without giving away too much, it firmly serves the darker tone the first movie originally set out to depict. We’d be lucky if all horror movies were this well thought out.
The plot is pretty much the same as the other four movies; one person gets a premonition of a coming disaster and “saves” a bunch of people by keeping them away from whatever catastrophe the writers throw at them this time, but of course death has a way of catching up everyone, in the most grisly ways imaginable. It’s a tried and true formula in both the franchise and horror films in general, but Final Destination 5 keeps the film moving and doesn’t get bogged down in trivial matters like “realism.”
As with all the Final Destination movies, they do a good job of building suspense for the kills. We, as the audience, know that these people will die (especially after 4 previous films) so it’s admirable that the script and direction can still keep us on the edge of the seat wondering which knick-knack will set off a chain of events that, ultimately, will result in a CG bloodbath (most of the deaths have great foreshadowing or a thematic connection to how they were ‘supposed’ to die in the bridge accident as well).
Probably the biggest highlight of number 5 though, is how it really ties the franchise together. Towards the end we get a montage of all the previous deaths throughout the past four movies, but what really shines, are the small moments that really connect the movies; the plane from the first movie, the logging truck from the second, the “Hice Pale Ale” beer that is seen throughout the films, background appearances by other Final Destination characters, and more just do a great job of giving a small nod to any fans of the series watching. The ending is by far the best thing about the movie and without giving away too much, it firmly serves the darker tone the first movie originally set out to depict. We’d be lucky if all horror movies were this well thought out.
6/10
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