Film Review: Final Destination 5

Even with the last Final Destination film being called THE Final Destination, another installment in the franchise was inevitable. And, here we are - only 2 years after that with Final Destination 5. With most franchises I'd be a bit tired of things by now, but I dig the Final Destination movies. They aren't great by any stretch of the imagination, but it's always fun to see the huge accident at the start, then watch as the increasingly annoying and often cookie cutter cliche characters get knocked off in a hilarious ways.

It's also the second time a Final Destination film has been in 3-D. Now, I'll go see a cheesy horror film like this in 3-D still, and it was quite amusing at times, but not exactly essential in that format.

This time the big accident is a bridge collapse, and as ever it's quite the sight. Not a patch on the road accident in the second FD film (which was my overall favourite, by the way), but it sets up the usual premonition and escape before the accident REALLY happens shenanigans. There's the usual FBI agent who wants to get to the truth, and it all sort of mirrors the original film, including toning down on the humour. But it has to be said, they did still cast David Koechner who is best known for his comedy roles as the boss of the unfortunate souls who are getting picked off.

After the accident, the freak occurence deaths start happening, and include such original situations such as acupuncture, and in what was a bit of a slog for me and my squeamishness of anything to do with eyes, a laser eye surgery scene. Yikes!

Tony Todd returns to the franchise as well as mysterious coroner William Bludworth, who was last seen in the second film (and last heard in the third.) He's not in it much, but he does impart the information that makes this entry into the franchise a bit different: if you cheat death, you can kill someone and they take your place, whilst you live out their remaining years. It's cool that something new is tried with the formula, but surprised it took them to the fourth sequel to try it!

That bit of information takes the film in a slightly different direction for a bit, which is refreshing, and the films conclusion wrapped things up masterfully in my opinion. In a series of a movies so dumb, I thought it was a really smart way to conclude things. But, chances are a 6th film will be on the way in the next two or three years, undoing all the good work done at the end.

In the end, if you liked the other films, you'll like this one. It's just more of the same really. Bad acting, annoying characters, entertaining deaths...but at least this time it feels a bit different at the same time.

***
The Final Destination franchise rumbles on, but at least tries to add something new to the mix, and wraps the whole series up nicely. Recommended for fans.