FINAL DESTINATION 5

Final Destination 5 (2011)
Directed by: Steven Quale
Written by: Eric Heisserer, Jeffrey Reddick
Starring: Arlen Escarpeta, Emma Bell, Nicholas D'Agosto

FILM: Final Destination 5 (2011)

DIRECTOR: Steven Quale

STARRING: Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Arien Escarpeta, Miles Fisher

RATING: (15)

RUNNING TIME: 92 minutes

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O15LcxPy8zI[/youtube]

 Hughesy’s Verdict!

You know its very hard to now write a review of a Final Destination film!  The reason being is that we are now on the fifth chapter of a very popular horror franchise which lets be honest has never really changed its blue print way back from the 2000 original that caused such waves.  Every sequel follows the same path, we have a major incident where everyone dies in a gruesome manner, the film then shows that a person has had a premonition of said disaster and manages to save a selected few before it happens.  Then months later, the Grim Reaper arrives to finish off the job and its up to that “one person!” to figure it all out before everyone dies. Its a storyline that should have become tiresome way before we hit the third sequel but amazingly each film takes more at the box office and so the studio green lit the next film and its a vicious circle that will not end until one of these films actually flop.

The moderate box office takings in America was a first clue that maybe and finally the wheels are beginning to fall off but before those sick of the franchise jump up in joy, the film took a massive amount of money in Europe and at the moment the 6th film is in planning stage which will thrill the hardcore fans.  So its for them that this review is done different because I am one of those who got tired of all this when the third film ended so I am going to judge this film on the last film that this follows on.

The Final Destination (which was called that because it was supposed to be the Final one but of course money talks and now its simply called Part 4 in my mind).was a muddled mess.  It really felt tired and weak with hardly no imaginative death scenes and it seemed all the energy and thought went on the 3D angle.  For all the fans who simply want to know the answer to one simple question then I will tell you…Final Destination 5 is a better film.  It has a good storyline with better death scenes and even the beginning with the doomsday death scene, while again coming across “same old” does contain a few good death scenes that had me smiling.

We start with a a group of co-workers heading off on a bonding weekend trip driving across a suspension bridge.  Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) is the guy you know that will soon wake up and relive it all over again but the set-piece is saved thanks to an energetic tone that does leave you smiling.  Death by hot tar, Sailing Boat mast, limbs flying about, its all played out with wonderful glee by debut director Steven Quale who seems to be enjoying himself behind the camera.  Of course once we see the vision end and Sam warns the gang that “something bad is going to happen!” only a selected few believe him and when the accident does take place before their very eyes, they are actually relived that their friend saved the lives of them all.

Enter Tony Todd (a frequent franchise regular) who tells them they are all going to die anyway and soon Death returns and its here the horror dumb crowd will be in their element.  Yes this time the deaths are what is best described as black with a comedy heart but the trouble with these films is that the film is like watching You Been Framed in which you are just waiting for the “Fall” to happen!  The plot in between the murders is bland and I like many others will just switch off doing what can only be described as the boring scenes.

When the “fall” arrives then this film sets itself up to be better than many of the other sequels before.  The laser eye set-piece is wonderfully played out and the writers have taken great delight in playing with the viewers expectations.  What you think may happen does not quite work out like that and it made a refreshing change but its when the plot takes itself onto the path of deranged friend turned Murderer that it becomes all rather silly!

One thing that does the film well is the nasty and I mean nasty twist ending that was a welcome surprise.  I kind of so it coming due to a few clues throughout the film but in the back of mind I was like “Nah, they not that clever!” and to see it played out in front of me was brilliant.  I know there be a few who will be damn right stunned at the closure of this film and in some ways brings the whole franchise to a full circle.  If it ends now then Final Destination 5 will be a perfect fitting to end a much loved franchise but we all know this is not going to happen and maybe one day they won’t bother with a plot and just have a clip show of poor victims getting mauled and killed in grisly fashion- You’ve Been Reaped anyone?…….

FINAL THOUGHTS!……

Much better than the dire 4th but the storyline is now stale like the entire franchise.  Some really good imaginative death scenes and a brilliantly played out final twist raises this 5th film above its previous sequels and die hard fans will love every single second of it!

                                                                                              Rating:

 Read Matt Wavish’s Cinema Review of Final Destination 5 right here:

https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2011/08/final-destination-5-out-now-in-cinemas/

rating:2/10