Review of Final Destination 5 (2011) by Myffubs — 11 Aug 2011

Final Destination 5 is quite a bit of a mixed bag. There are elements present that suggest that it should be a better movie than it actually is, but looking at each of the series' sequels, it's quite an accomplishment that this one manages to be as good as it is.

The opening premonition (a bridge collapsing, if, for some reason, you don't already know) is easily the best sequence of any of the five Final Destinations. It's an amazing technological accomplishment that manages to create a palpable sense of dread; though you know the it's-only-a-premonition gotcha! is right around the corner, tension yields to pure fear as the bridge crumbles away in three dimensions.

If you're an adrenaline junkie, this scene alone is well worth the admittedly bloated price of admission. The rest of the film doesn't live up to this sequence, but there are moments when the filmmakers know how to get under your skin, such as the well-advertised trapped-in-a-Lasik-chair and screw-on-a-balance-beam scenes.

It's unlikely that you'll be able to guess the outcomes of the over-elaborate but still bizarrely jarring deathtraps the characters find themselves in. Much has been said about this entry's use of characterization, which, following every sequel, is understandable.

Let's simply say that there *is* characterization. The characters are somewhat bland, but occasionally funny. The actors are all right, but wooden lines of dialogue (the ones that have been heard in each Final Destination film) still sound stilted.

If nothing else, they convey full ranges of fear and terror, two emotions that likely won't serve them outside of the horror genre. The film includes some plot twists, but does little of interest with them; if you have seen the trailer, you know of one, and if you pay attention, the second one is frustratingly easy to guess.

In the end, there's fun to be had here, but as a good number of the critic's reviews will tell you, you probably know whether you want to see Final Destination 5 or not. (A little forewarning to those who, like me, pick up on certain details: when the bridge collapses "for real," it collapses differently than in the premonition, which would, theoretically, change the order the characters "should" have died.

The filmmakers don't make any use of this, so don't expect any curveballs of that sort. You can probably just regard it as what looks like a very expensive continuity error.