- Director: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein
- Writers: Guy Busick, Lori Evans Taylor
- Stars: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Ryan Kihlstedt, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner
REVIEW
The term ‘reboot’ can cause anxiety in the heart of horror fans, but with a franchise like Final Destination, what can be fucked up, really? It can’t possibly be worse than the fourth film that has a character known only as “racist.” Thankfully, Final Destination 5 came with Tom Cruise 2.0 (Miles Fisher) and righted the course with a clever and shocking ending. Fourteen years later, there was something truly comforting and exciting about seeing the first Bloodlines teaser. Let’s be real: overly intricate ways of killing people off will always be entertaining and this reboot isn’t just entertaining, but it’s smart, funny and a fucking blast.
As per usual, the film opens with a catastrophic event that dramatically and cruelly kills hundreds of people, but it then weaves the story a bit differently than we are used to and that is one of the movie’s finest achievements/winks to the audience. They know what you expect from the formula, they acknowledge it, then they rub it in your face, and you are consistently left delighted by the entire sequence. Directing team Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein (Freaks) give us the goods while also keeping things fresh. Despite the BBQ and tattoo shop scene being shown in the teasers and trailers, the full impact is not diluted at all when a part of the full f ilm. Writers Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Scream 5), Lori Evans Taylor (Bed Rest) and Jon Watts (Clown) are clearly fans of the franchise and they embrace all of the expected tropes while adding their own spin that breathes new life into the franchise.
Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana, The Friendship Game) anchors the film with a lived-in girl next door approachability as she tracks down her estranged grandmother to learn how Death is after everyone in the family. As we all know, Death doesn’t like to be cheated and it will always f ind a way to make sure you get what’s coming to you; even if it means plowing through multiple generations in order to do it. This is why I take umbrage with people referring to Death as a man. Death is clearly a woman scorned. A man would never spend literal decades getting their revenge on someone simply for not following their plan.
Utilizing a family unit in lieu of a friend group or random group of strangers significantly helps ratchet up the anxiety and need for all of the characters to find a way to outwit Death. It also allows for realistic family drama and family secrets. Each character is likable, with some (Bobby and Erik) being downright lovable. Horror legend Tony Todd reprises his role as the mysterious morgue worker who seems to know everything about Death and it’s such a gift to horror fans. Filmed months before Todd passed away, this is one of his final on-screen appearances and he delivers a really lovely and special goodbye, written by him for his fans, that made this viewer tear up.
Once in a while, a horror franchise is successfully resurrected, and Final Destination: Bloodlines shows others how to do it. With easter eggs referencing the previous films, you will laugh out loud, cheer for the death of a child (yup), squirm in sympathy with the victims and be reminded why seeing a fun horror film with other likeminded moviegoers is more fun than a trip to Paris, or a runaway roller coaster.
Final Destination Bloodlines is in cinemas now.
Lisa Fremont
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