Synopsis
The Final Destination horror franchise encompasses 5 movies, the most recent being Final Destination 5 which came out in 2011 and is directed by Steven Quale. Like the rest of its installments, it also revolves around a death scrutiny theme and brings a unique take on horrors by making ‘Death’ itself the antagonist. The fifth installment of the franchise focuses on the core elements that make it popular such as intense imaginative murder sequences, a deep rooted plot twist that acts as the basis of the series, and paying homagge to the rest of the movies in the franchise.
A plot follows Sam Lawton, portrayed by Nicholas D’Agosto, who works in a paper producing company. As part of the company retreat, he and his colleagues take a chartered bus to the company retreat. In a bone chilling vision, Sam sees the bus crossing a bridge which suddenly starts collapsing and horrifically killing everyone on board and trapping Sam at the end. In his vision, he also dies in the horrific circumstance but is finally brought back to reality where he is credited.
In a fit of impulse and panic, he orders everyone off the bus creating confusion and chaos. A few people, including his girlfriend Molly (Emma Bell), his best friend Peter (Miles Fisher), and other colleagues follow along. A few moments later, Sam’s premonition comes true as the bridge collapses killing everyone who chose to stay on. The surviving people, in their stunned, confounded state, thank the heavens for the miraculous escape, albeit also feeling grateful, and confused at the same time.
The relief provided for that moment doesn’t last very long, however. Strange yet gruesome mishaps begin to eliminate the rest of the survivors one by one. The eerie coroner, William Bludworth (played by franchise regular Tony Todd), makes a cryptic return suggesting a much colder alternative, adding onto the film’s central concept: Death has a design, and avoiding it has severe repercussions. This already ominous suggestion, that someone who cheats death can only evade the consequences by claiming another life, raises extreme moral boundaries which leave the suspense of the film heightened for its viewers.
While Sam and the other members of the group try to figure out what is going on, one by one each of the group members meets their end in more and more sophisticated and terrifying ways. From a botched laser eye surgery to a deathly gymnastics accident, these shocking deaths are revealed with incredible suspense and visual pandemonium. These scenes encapsulate the hallmark style of the series: death by sheer coincidence, tension, and a series of chain reactions like in a Rube Goldberg machine
Grief-stricken Peter spirals into paranoia and begins to come undone. For one, he questions the coroner’s reasoning that goes on to say the advice is illogical, ‘suspicion breeds question’. In an alternative dimension of reality, he thinks he has to ‘off’ someone to avoid dying which drives to insanity. Targeting Molly pushes him into the climax; fighting for his life drags him into the final showdown with Sam. The final face-off ends in Sam killing Peter in an emotional yet necessary act of self-defense.
In an unexpected change of plot, the film concludes with a plot twist that alters the entire narrative. Sam and Molly appear to be taking a flight to Paris with the intention to kickstart a new life. To viewers of the franchise, it is well known that this sequence takes place on the same plane that blows up in the first film Final Destination (Flight 180). The realization strikes; Final Destination 5 is revealed as a prequel. The camera zooms in on Alex Browning, the main character in the first film, and he is forcefully taken off the plane after his vision of the premonition, adding to the shockaktır ผู้
Sam and Molly are the last leads of the story after they die from the Flight 180 blast. The perishing of another character in the final scene reinforces the franchise’s theme that death is always on time and inescapable.
Nicholas D’Agosto (Sam Lawton): D’Agosto’s performance as Sam Lawton is relatable and dreary, balancing optimism that can only be found in terror-filled worlds, making the viewer root for the protagonist. He underplays the conflicting traits of fragility, stubbornness, moral indecisiveness, and determination that adding depth to his character made a complex embodiment of the everyman confronted with extraordinary, or rather dystopian circumstances.
Emma Bell (Molly Harper): Sam’s emotional anchor is none other than his girlfriend, Molly. Bell infused the character with an unwavering calm and latent tenacity which serves as an anchor to the flood of chaos around her for much of the story.
Miles Fisher (Peter Friedkin): Fisher’s portrayal of Peter offers a curious take on the most one-dimensional character in the film. The shift into paranoid maniac full of reckless endeavors reflects the extreme psychological pressure of the Death’s haunting presence. His storyline forms the film’s central conflict and its eventual resolution.
Tony Todd (William Bludworth): Todd reprises the franchise as the cryptic coroner, perpetually emitting unsettling warnings and shocking realities. His role is critical to the franchise for he is the unwitting herald of Death throughout, maintaining the sinister thread that connects the films.
David Koechner (Dennis Lapman) and P.J. Byrne (Isaac Palmer): These secondary players elicit laughter and participate in some of the film’s most remembered death sequences. In particular, Byrne’s character is part of a grotesquely funny acupuncture procedure that ends in death.
Steven Quale (Director): Quale is new to the franchise and the film’s direction adds a different feel to it. Quale, who comes from a position focusing on visual effects and as a former member of Cameron’s crew, improves the film artistically, particularly during the climactic bridge collapse at the beginning, and in the surgical precision of the death scenes.
Eric Heisserer (Screenwriter): Having other horror credits to his name including The Thing (2011) and Lights Out (2016), Heisserer delivers a revitalized script that features sharp pacing, character development, and an excellent twist.
IMDb Ratings
With an approximate rating of 5.9/10, Final Destination 5 has a fairly solid score on IMDb considering it is within the franchise and horror genre. The inventive death sequences, improved character arcs, and the twist ending that links the film to the original Final Destination were particularly praised by fans and critics alike.
The pre-termination sequence of the bridge collapse received praise for its breathtaking intensity and visual appeal, almost universally identified as one of the best in the series. Reviewers noticed the darker tone of the film that marked a return to the franchise’s roots following the more gimmicky fourth installment (The Final Destination) while also appreciating the shifts in narrative structure.
Final Destination 5 was perceived as a return to form despite being criticized for some predictable beats and formulaic elements. Its critical reception, in comparison to several predecessors, was more favorable and was considered by several fans as the best sequel since the original.
More than yet another entry in a slasher-styled horror franchise, Final Destination 5 serves as a brilliantly executed prequel, preserving the central ideas of fate, death, and morality. With imaginative death sequences, strong performances, and a tightly woven narrative, the film offers both thrills and a satisfying plot twist. It stands as an appropriate chapter in the Final Destination Saga, showcasing that even in a world with destined death, the journey is bound to astonish.
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