Final Destination

Return to the Main Page

Summary:
A group of high school students on their way to Paris have their plane explode on takeoff. The scary part is that Alex has a vision of the plane crashing before it happens, and all those who are taken off the flight with him during his panic attack find themselves cheating death... but Death is coming back around to get them.

Review:
Yes! A horror movie that knows how to deliver the goods! There's solid acting, great suspense, with a ball-ripping plane crash near the opening that will keep you on the edge of your seat and THEN some! This is one of those flicks that you just have to see to appreciate. It's a fairly smart for a horror flick that doesn't try too hard to BE smart, and also knows how to have fun with the genre, including a fair amount of gore and some big surprises along the way!

All of the younger actors in this horror movie did a great job with what they were given. That's not to say their characters are anything particularly stellar, seeing as how most of them are just like you see in any other movie of this kid. There's the smart lead who's innocent and caring. Then, you have the quiet eccentric artist who also happens to be psychic, and the preppy and her asshole boyfriend. Then, there's the comic relief who's a little stupid, but fairly harmless. This is OK, since everyone did what they had to do exceptionally well, and so these stock character profiles have more substance thanks to what the actors provided for them. I thought William Scott was the best, though. That guy cracks me up.
Speaking of action and suspense, there's plenty to go around on this lovely platter. What makes the movie more fun than what might be expected is the use of foreshadowing and symbolism. They make every use of evil numbers, shadows and wordplay preceding every murder/death, especially at the airport. Go to TERMINAL (as in dead forever) three, the luggage cart being number "99", but seen upside down through the cracks to the plane's entrance, all the clues in the opening credits at his room, the bad luck sign of ripping off the luggage tag... it goes on and on and on! I would say that a whole entire report could be made just on the clues for each death! John Denver. Haha, good one.
Having a great preamble to the main event is a great thing, but sometimes this happens in movies, and the payoff is undeserving of the prelude. Not in this case! I loved the plane crash sequence, and also the clever use of Rube Goldberg antics. One small mistake leads to another little setup, all leading to the trap being set loose. Great fun!
What also works well is the movie's slightly tongue-in-cheek attitude without going too far with it. Final Destination is more dramatic than you would expect in the end, and amongst all the confusion and mayhem as to who is dying next, you almost start to care for all of them. Huh? Seriously? Yes! For real, dawg!

In the end, Final Destination worked a lot more than it didn't work, managing to juggle horror, drama, comedy and a not too preachy attitude from open to end. Not only that, the kills are bodacious, and I really really like the final frames!

GRADE: A-

Reviewed 2/16/06