Review of Final Destination 3 (2006) by James S — 10 Oct 2011

The second installment of the "death is gonna get you" series lacked the imagination of the first and had you wondering just how many ways you could slip, trip or fall over something in order to meet your doom. The third installment ramps up the bizarreness factor and delivers a more enjoyable, if equally ludicrous movie.

This time our pack of would be dead teens get off a ill advised roller coaster thanks to Mary Elizabeth Winstead's doom laden premonition.

Much like in Final Destination 2, there is the big death scene at the start of the movie which gives us the chance to see how they all would have died before we get to see them invariably offed in an even more unpleasant fashion. The roller coaster scene is well done and if guarantees some sweaty palms if you have any sort of fears surrounding these kind of thrill rides.

Winstead makes for a good lead though she has been better in many of her subsequent movies while the other US TV teen show stars trying to break out into movies make for amiable enough victims.

Like the Saw movies though, we are here for the kills, the deaths and the gore. We know the plot, it's the same every time, what's in question is how you will go?

The scene set in a tanning salon is probably the most noteworthy in the movie and delivers the nastiest of FD3's demises. The soundtrack of the song Love Roller Coaster playing in the background is a nice touch too.

The finale is a little bit of a let down and a bit too much of a coincidence of the "Oh, you just happen to be here" variety. The Final Destination series, at least at this point, lacks the underlying mystery story that runs through the Saw franchise which makes it seem second best but a good dosage of inventiveness and a dumb but fun attitude makes this entry a decent enough viewing.