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The Final Destination franchise has always traded on a simple but effective formula: ordinary people cheating death, only to be systematically hunted down in increasingly elaborate fashion. Final Destination: Bloodlines attempts to resurrect this premise with fresh blood, but despite some creative flourishes, it proves to be a largely forgettable addition that lacks the gravitas of what made the original so compelling.

To its credit, the film does demonstrate creativity in certain areas. The poster design shows genuine artistic flair, and some of the death sequences display the kind of imaginative cruelty the series is known for. However, these isolated moments of ingenuity aren't nearly enough to carry a film that feels hollow at its core. Creativity alone does not a memorable film make, particularly when everything that made the 2000 original special-genuine tension, ominous atmosphere, and characters worth caring about-is conspicuously absent.

One of the most glaring issues is the film's heavy reliance on CGI, which strips away any semblance of realism from the death sequences. The practical effects and tangible sense of danger that made the earlier films so viscerally uncomfortable have been replaced with slick but unconvincing digital trickery that distances the viewer from the horror unfolding on screen.

Performance-wise, the film is a mixed bag. Richard Harmon's Erik emerges as perhaps the most memorable character, bringing a much-needed energy to proceedings. Iris (whose actress delivers solid work) also makes an impression. Kaitlyn Santa Juana as protagonist Stefani and Teo Briones as her younger brother Charlie both show genuine potential, but they're utterly let down by a script, direction, and frenetic editing style that never allows any meaningful connection between viewer and character to develop. Rya Kihlstedt, portrayed by the capable Darlene Campbell, brings professional skill that the film benefits from having, even if her character isn't given much room to breathe.

Herein lies the film's fundamental problem: entertainment value appears to be the sole priority, but if you don't care about the characters-and I found myself struggling to-then where's the entertainment meant to come from? The cheese might stand alone here. The original Final Destination was steeped in an ominous, foreboding atmosphere that kept you on edge (potentially because it was a new concept to the horror genre). Bloodlines abandons this entirely, instead opting for dark comedy and minimal tension, resulting in a film that fails to leave any lasting impression.

For context, I gave up on this franchise after Final Destination 3. That third instalment, starring the talented Mary Elizabeth Winstead, was actually quite enjoyable-it began pushing into more comedic territory but balanced this shift with enough emotional depth. The original was novel, with relatively interesting characters navigating genuinely unsettling (and sad) circumstances. Even the second film proved more engaging than Bloodlines, mostly because Ali Larter returned, though her performance was underwhelming. She can do better.

And, whatever happened to the mother character in Bloodlines? After losing both her husband and daughter in tragic circumstances, she seems to simply disappear from the emotional landscape of the film. I can only hope she retreated to her bedroom to properly mourn, because most of the other characters appear to have skipped that rather fundamental human process entirely. This absence of authentic grief or emotional consequence perfectly encapsulates what's wrong with Bloodlines-it's a film that's forgotten that horror is most effective when we actually care about who's being horrified.

Final Destination: Bloodlines isn't unwatchable, but it's disappointingly mediocre-a film that mistakes spectacle for substance and forgets that the best horror comes from making us care before making us squirm.

Tony Todd's contribution to the Final Destination franchise is appreciated, serving as the mortician who understood Death's design and its rules. He was mysterious, playful, and may very well be the heart of this franchise, appearing in several (but not all) of the films. Tony Todd gave the Final Destination franchise its only constant protagonist and I like how the story line tied his character into the opening scene.

As always, well done to all involved in the production of this film. It's quite an achievement.

*The Beast in Me* arrives with an intriguing premise and a capable cast. It may exhaust the audience more than it enthralls. This psychological thriller series starring Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, and Brittany Snow hooked me in initially and took a few episodes after the first to provide more intrigue because I almost gave up. It can be tiring watching relentless emotional intensity from our main gal, and I think there's some missed opportunities.

The synopsis was compelling enough to draw me in, and the first episode delivered sufficient intrigue to warrant continuing. Danes' Aggie Wiggs exists in a perpetual state of heightened stress, fear, grief, and anger that becomes genuinely exhausting to watch. While Danes demonstrates her trademark skill at portraying strained, neurotic characters-territory she's navigated before-the unrelenting intensity offers little respite for viewers. I like Danes. Last thing I saw her in was Homeland so a different character portrayal would have been a nice change.

The series attempts to balance the intensity with Matthew Rhys' Nile Jarvis, who embodies the stereotypical psychopath aesthetic: nonchalant, cool, detached. But is he really a killer? That's the central mystery. Rhys delivers a fine performance, oscillating between gallant charm and barely-concealed mania, yet the series frustratingly underutilizes the nuance his character could have offered. There's depth here that remains largely unexplored.

The weak link proves to be the foundation itself: Wiggs' initial fascination to Jarvis never feels credible. The series needed to emphasise that Wiggs, suffering from writer's block, is primarily motivated by desperation for material for her next bestseller. This mercenary angle is underplayed. Instead, we're presented with a character, Wiggs, who supposedly possesses the intelligence and instincts of a successful writer, yet somehow lacks the basic judgment to avoid a neighborhood pariah and suspected murderer, though exonerated. For a writer, Wiggs is often lost for words during conversation which I found odd.

Brittany Snow provides welcome relief as the new wife to Jarvis (since his ex "suicided"), bringing a controlled, restrained presence that relies on subtle emotional depth. Her graceful performance nearly achieves something special, and it's genuinely refreshing to watch after the taxing performances of Wiggs and, toward the series' end, an increasingly unhinged Jarvis. Snow and the director understand that sometimes less is more.

The supporting cast adds necessary texture. The councilwoman serves as an effective secondary character, essential for giving the Jarvis father-son storyline any meaningful weight. Even the FBI agents receive their own minor arcs, providing flavor to what could have been a one-note "is-my-neighbor-a-murderer?" narrative. One smart choice: making Danes' character gay, which eliminates the tired potential for romantic entanglement between protagonist and suspected killer-a cliché this genre doesn't need to repeat.

Yet something feels off about the production itself-a certain mediocrity that's difficult to pinpoint but impossible to ignore. Perhaps it's the pacing, or the visual choices, or simply that the series doesn't trust its own premise enough to explore it with the sophistication it deserves.

*The Beast in Me* isn't without merit. It features committed performances and occasionally interesting character work. But for a psychological thriller, it relies too heavily on exhausting the audience rather than truly thrilling them. The beast here isn't just the potential killer next door-it's all the characters in their own way, except maybe Wiggs ex-wife.

As always, well done to all involved in the production of this series. I haven't made a series.