Final Destination 5 – Film Review

Some franchises tend to follow a rather predictable trajectory – the original movie introduces a fresh, intriguing concept, which is then followed by sequels that struggle to recapture the essence of what made the first installment stand out, eventually spiraling into a loop of redundancy and disappointment. The Final Destination series, notorious for its elaborate death sequences orchestrated by the invisible hand of fate, appeared to be no exception to this rule, especially after the lukewarm reception of the fourth film. However, against all odds, Final Destination 5, directed by Steven Quale, emerged in 2011, not just as a return to form but as a sequel that arguably revitalized the franchise with renewed vigor and creativity.

The premise of Final Destination 5 doesn’t deviate from the tried-and-tested formula established by its predecessors. The movie opens with a group of colleagues on a bus, heading to a corporate retreat. Among them is Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto), who has a premonition of a horrific bridge collapse that would lead to the gruesome deaths of everyone on board. He convinces a few of his colleagues to disembark just in time, thereby cheating death. As with previous entries, Death doesn’t take kindly to being duped and begins to claim the lives of the survivors in the order they would have died, leading to a macabre cat-and-mouse game where the main characters try to outsmart a seemingly invincible foe.

Where Final Destination 5 sets itself apart is in its execution – no pun intended. Quale demonstrates a clear understanding of what fans of the series come to expect: suspenseful build-ups leading to elaborate, Rube Goldberg-esque death traps that are both creative and shocking. Yet, the film doesn’t merely rely on these set pieces for impact. It endeavors to delve deeper into the mythology of the series, offering a novel twist to the narrative by introducing the concept that killing someone else can offer the characters a chance to extend their lives, a dark and morally ambiguous choice that adds layers to the otherwise straightforward plot.

Performance-wise, the cast of Final Destination 5 delivers adequately, with no particular standout. This isn’t a slight against them; the franchise has never been about deep character development or Oscar-worthy performances. It’s about the spectacle of death and the tension of anticipation, and on those fronts, the cast fulfills their roles competently, with Nicholas D’Agosto and Emma Bell (as Sam’s girlfriend Molly) serving as believable, if not particularly memorable, protagonists.

One of the film’s strongest assets is its visual effects. By 2011, the capabilities in CGI had improved substantially, and Final Destination 5 takes full advantage of this progress. The bridge collapse sequence that sets the story into motion is rendered with a level of detail and realism that is both breathtaking and terrifying, setting a high bar for the rest of the movie’s set pieces. While some of the death scenes can veer towards the overly grotesque, they never feel gratuitous, striking a fine balance between shock value and narrative necessity.

Moreover, Final Destination 5 benefits immensely from Quale’s direction. Having worked as a second unit director on Avatar, Quale brings a keen eye for action sequences and a flair for dynamic camera work that adds a sense of immediacy and intensity to the proceedings. His ability to build tension is commendable, using both visual and auditory cues to keep the audience on edge, culminating in payoffs that are as satisfying as they are horrifying.

However, the film is not without its flaws. While the introduction of the life-for-a-life twist offers a fresh angle, the screenplay by Eric Heisserer sometimes struggles to fully flesh out this concept, leaving the audience with more questions than answers. Additionally, the film’s attempt to weave character development into the narrative can feel forced and superficial, as if ticking off a checklist rather than genuinely exploring the psyche of its protagonists. These moments of emotional depth feel at odds with the film’s primary focus on death and mayhem, resulting in a somewhat uneven tone.

Furthermore, Final Destination 5 doesn’t entirely escape the trappings of its genre, with some of the dialogue feeling clichéd and certain plot developments bordering on predictable for seasoned horror aficionados. The ending, while cleverly tying the film to the series’ origins, might come off as too contrived for some, relying on a twist that, although unexpected, doesn’t feel entirely earned.

Final Destination 5 stands as a surprisingly solid entry in a franchise many had written off.