Movie Review: The Final Destination (3-D)

Written by Steve

Monday, 31 August 2009 03:52

Movie Final Destination movies follow a pretty simple formula: a bunch of people narrowly escape a major accident after one of the characters experiences a premonition about the disaster. Shortly thereafter, the survivors start dying off in gruesome and often convoluted ways. Eventually the person who had the vision (and continues to have premonitions about upcoming deaths) convinces them all that Death is after them, but there might be a way to short-circuit the Grim Reaper’s plans.

The latest movie in the series follows the formula to the letter and includes the added bonus of 3-D carnage, but somehow manages to disappoint. While each of the previous sequels has added some kind of twist (however small) to the basic format, the new flick is completely plug and play. The only new rule, which involves what happens if it’s not your turn to die yet, is played for laughs. While the scene is funny, the filmmakers break the rule a few scenes later (at least if the rules established in previous movies are still in force).

As for the carnage itself, most of it is well done, but there’s not really anything new and interesting here. Most of the kills, from the initial accident (which this time takes place on a NASCAR track) onwards, are really just minor variations on the ones we’ve seen in the previous three movies. Even the SPLAT scene is just the bus hit from the original movie shown from a different angle. The 3-D adds a little newness to some of the scenes, but isn’t used particularly well in most cases and isn’t used at all in a couple of scenes where it should have been. I find it hard to believe, for example, that nobody thought that a flaming decapitated head might just look cool flying towards the audience in 3-D rather than landing unceremoniously at a character’s feet.

And when I say “character,” I mean that in the loosest sense. Perhaps the biggest problem with the new movie is that most of the characters are incredibly two-dimensional. The four main characters, in addition to being uninteresting, seem to spend all of their time hanging out—at the pool, at the coffee shop, at the movies. We never see them at work or at school and, aside from one of them mentioning that the race is a study break, are never given any indication that these characters are connected to the world around them in any way. There are also no supporting characters or even funeral scenes to indicate that these people are anything but warm bodies lining up for the slaughter. The minor characters are all very basic stereotypes, but at least they have rudimentary personalities.

When it’s all said and done, The Final Destination is a disappointment. While all the trademarks of the series are there (except Tony Todd, who doesn’t even do a voice-over this time), the film-makers don’t do anything interesting with them or with the 3-D format. Fans of the series will probably want to see the 3-D splatter on the big screen, but I recommend doing so at matinee prices. Everyone else can safely wait for a slow night on cable.

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