Revisiting Death’s Most Twisted Tricks

Final Destination is responsible for instilling a number of fears in a generation of cinephiles. Like driving behind a logging truck. Or using a tanning bed. Or — well, you know the movies. Final Destination Bloodlines is one of several promising new releases from parent studio New Line, which has Barbarian director Zach Cregger’s Weapons on deck soon after. Even if Bloodlines succeeds at the box office, chances are it will still be the “final” installment of the franchise — but predictions like these are always a toss-up in Hollywood.

Fourteen years after Final Destination 5, directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein are breathing life back into this hard R-rated cinematic universe. And Bloodlines puts most — if not all — of the previous Final Destination sequels to shame. Bloodlines succeeds by paying homage to the previous films’ more iconic sequences, weaving in a stupendous cameo from the late, great Tony Todd and building on the franchise with a couple of nifty twists and bloody turns. Questionable special effects here and there may overshadow the experience, but you be the judge.

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Death Comes Knocking

The cleverness begins early on with an electrifying cold open centered on a death-defying stunt (which broke a world record, FYI). The plethora of deaths promised in the film’s marketing campaign ensues, but here’s the kicker: The horrific accident is all captured in a daydream by college student Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), whose grades are slipping because a death sequence set at a vintage restaurant in 1968 plays on repeat in her head. But why? It all happened decades ago, and if you know the Final Destination guidelines, the death premonition is usually seen by someone directly involved with the disaster.

Stefani must decipher why she keeps seeing this traumatic flashback, especially since — as it turns out — her AWOL grandmother has a checkered past. Could Nonna be the young bride-to-be (a standout Brec Bassinger) at that doomed restaurant, where everyone was celebrating before Death set them all aflame? Stefani’s relatives, including her brother Charlie (Teo Briones), shrug her off when she returns home from college to seek answers. That means Stefani must embark on a solo investigation to track down her grandmother. And when they finally come face to face, the elderly Iris (Virgin River star Gabrielle Rose) reluctantly invites Stefani into her home to lay out Death’s master plan. This is where Final Destination fans will lean forward in their theater seats, embracing the scene that occurs in every franchise installment where a principal character unveils a “death chart” that makes clear who Death has seized from the premonition, and who he’ll consume next.

Yes, that was young Iris in Stefani’s nightmare from years prior. And when Iris saw the fatal accident happen in a premonition just moments before the madness, she tried to warn everyone before it was too late. Unfortunately, the authorities wrote her off as a potential murderer, so she went into hiding with her baby-to-be. Since then, Iris has become skilled at thwarting Death’s tricks, even creating a booby-trap-free residence to keep herself safe. Iris then gifts Stefani an enormous book that details all the ways Stefani can also keep herself safe. This is another way in which Bloodlines succeeds as a “sequel” after a decade: Not only will O.G. fans soak up the nostalgic beats, but newcomers to the franchise can go in cold and still be able to follow along.

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How Do You Top a Classic?

Given how unique Stefani’s journey is for a Final Destination movie, fans might worry the body count could dwindle as a result. Fret not. As Stefani travels to and from Grandma’s remote dwelling, making contact with Iris’ equally troubled sister Darlene (Rya Kihlstedt) in the process, those connected to Stefani will certainly be impacted. And you know what “impacted” means in a Final Destination flick. Iris tells Stephani that whoever survived the fiery restaurant disaster was marked thereafter — and that includes the families they went on to create. So Stefani keeps a close eye on her cousins Julia (Gotham Knights star Anna Lore) and Erik (Richard Harmon), the latter of whom provides enough comic relief to round out the cinematic experience. Harmon, who also starred in The CW’s The 100, steals the show, channeling Kieran Culkin with his deadpan antics and one-liners.

And then there’s Tony Todd, reprising his role as William Bludworth. Todd makes his mark in Bloodlines as well, with a limited role that’s still vital to the story line. The prophetic Bludworth dishes words of wisdom to the younger characters while they struggle to evade Death’s clutches. Speaking of O.G. characters: since the Bloodlines plot takes certain liberties it would have been nice to see other familiar faces, especially in a big-budget production that’s lacking in star power. Sure, Devon Sawa died in Final Destination 2, but how cool would it have been to see Alex Browning shine his light down on a new generation in crisis? Still, Bloodlines makes its mark with some of the most horrific deaths of the franchise to date, both paying homage to the classics and introducing new bloody methods that will make you squirm.

From New Line Cinema, Final Destination Bloodlines will be released in theaters on Friday.