Final Destination

The one that started it all: a franchise of over-the-top "action," outrageous gore, and characters you often couldn't care less about. Yet in this one, none of those really apply. The death scenes are in ways subtle and clever, sometimes drawn out to exacerbate tension, while others are arguably very predictable, but nonetheless thrilling. The plane scene is chaotic and how it culminates, very intense. Aside from one decapitation, not much gore. Meanwhile the characters, in my opinion, are the best the series has had to offer, particularly thanks to Devon Sawa, and the personality he elicits in Alex Browning. Others satisfy, too, from Sean William Scott to Kerr Smith. There's some subtle humor, some drama, and some creativity to be had. As much praise as I have to offer the movie, it still has its many flaws and even silly moments. But for what it's worth, it was the beginning, and it remains a fun watch despite the slew of even more over-the-top installments that followed it.

Final Destination is an awesome movie full of fun jump scares and humourous 'accidents' which is exactly what you want in this type of movie.

As there are half a dozen of these movies it does become a challenge to separate what deaths happen in each movie as they all blend together somewhat.

Its targeted at a teen audience, in spite of that the film works for all age groups. Check it out :)

Inventive, effectively eerie spine-chiller is a step up in the teen horror genre. High schooler Sawa has a horrific vision of his plane crashing just moments before its departure on a class field trip. He and several others exit the plane only to discover that it does in fact crash, but things take a shocking turn when the remaining survivors begin to die in the most mysterious ways. Story is intriguing, suspense ebbs and flows throughout, and there are enough violent deaths to satisfy the target audience. Although the ending is a bit of a disappointment and should have been planned out better, overall this is one of the better films of the genre. ***

It's not surprising that critics bashed this movie. In a movie review, most critics primarily value cohesion, refinement, calculated expertise; clearly that is not Final Destination.

Much of the acting feels reminiscent of day-time TV shows. Lots of the dialogue is awkward, and contrived as ways to clarify plot points and move the story forward. The editing often fails to convey the right mood: seemingly dramatic moments coming off as humorous, humorous moments feeling at odds with the rising tension. In short, as with most teen horror flicks, this is not what most would consider a "good" movie.

But something special can happen when a movie stops taking itself too seriously:

Pure inventiveness.

The idea that the "killer" can be the fabric of life itself, instilled in me a type of fear I'd never expected from a horror film. Everyday objects like kitchen appliances and fishing rods are now something to be feared; it leads to a sense that you can't trust any aspect of the seemingly mundane world around you.

And though many of the deaths feel pretty ridiculous (though in incredibly entertaining ways), in a sense, they are also the most realistic deaths a horror movie could show. Freak accidents happen everyday. Most of us don't know how or when we're going to die; the world around you could be out to get you at any time. The fear comes through in the character's distrust in everyday life, and struggle against the inevitable.

From this paranoia comes a fun and compelling story, one with unexpected turns around every corner as the characters fight against this unique existential threat.

What Final Destination lacks in refinement, it makes up for in creativity and pure entertainment.

Revisiting James Wong's Final Destination after two and a half decades feels like meeting an old friend who's aged better than expected.

The film's central premise... Death hunting down teenagers who escaped their fate... remains genuinely clever, even if the execution occasionally creaks like those ominous household objects.

Devon Sawa delivers a surprisingly committed performance as Alex, the reluctant prophet trying to save his classmates. Ali Larter provides strong support, while the supporting cast falls into typical late-90s teen horror territory -functional but forgettable.

The plane crash premonition sequence still packs a proper punch, creating genuine tension despite knowing what's coming.

What works brilliantly is the film's paranoid atmosphere - every ceiling fan, bathtub, and kitchen appliance becomes a potential murder weapon. Wong builds dread through mundane objects, making everyday life feel genuinely threatening. The creative death sequences, whilst occasionally silly, maintain their dark ingenuity.

However, the dialogue feels painfully dated, and some performances border on wooden. The film would certainly come off cornier than contemporary horror, but there's genuine charm in its earnest approach to such an absurd concept.

Final Destination spawned multiple sequels (and still going...) and established a franchise, proving its premise had serious legs despite obvious limitations.

Rating: 7/10 (A cleverly twisted concept that mostly survives its own dated execution)