I would like to start
off by saying I'm a fan of the FINAL DESTINATION series. Even the much
maligned third film is starting to grow on me. When it was announced
that David Ellis was returning to the director chair (along with
screenwriter Eric Bress), I was quite excited, considering that part two
is arguably the best in the series. But this one. If I were to describe
this film in one word, I would say DISAPPOINTING. In fact, this is one
of the most disappointing movies of this year! The fact that the makers
of part two has returned just adds on to the frustration.
The
film starts off pretty rushed. In fact, the film is rushed altogether.
You feel as if the filmmakers wanted to get through with the film. The
laziness is so apparent in here that you're wondering how much the
executives offered in their salary. The film is so lazy that there are
even glaring plot holes in the hackneyed script! How the hell does a
film that is based on something ridiculous have plot holes? The
film—better yet, the franchise, spends most of its time in setting up
rules on the order people are going to die yet this film ignores
practically everything and kills people in any order it feels like!
Even
the clever foreshadowing from the previous films is quite blatant here.
The laziness is also extended to the death scenes. Remember, quality,
not quantity. Even though this film has the most death scenes compared
to the previous entries, most of them suck and even that word wouldn't
give the deaths that much justice. We all have to admit it sooner or
later but we see these films for the death scenes. What is the freaking
point in watching this film if they turn out to be lazy to an extent
that some death scenes are rehashed from previous FD films? Exactly.
There is no point.
Another problem about the death scenes is that
there is barely any suspense when people are about to get killed.
Usually, in the FD films, seeing the set up of the Rube Goldberg-like
death scenes IS the suspense, but in here, they feel as if they come out
of nowhere because of how rushed everything is. They're surprising,
yes, but the surprises wear off very quickly. Google up Alfred
Hitchcock's definition of "suspense" to learn the difference between
surprise and suspense.
Let's move on to the next problem: CGI.
With the 3D technology, it's obvious the filmmakers wanted to add more
CGI effects so the images could pop out on the screen. The problem here
is that the FINAL DESTINATION series is always known for their practical
effects. The premonition sequence in here works well in 3D, sure, but
the CGI is terrible! They look so fake that I questioned how this film
wasn't released direct to DVD.
You know you have a bad film when a
franchise that was supposed to be scary and mysterious now turns into
something that pokes fun of itself. It has happened many times before,
most notably, the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET franchise. It's as if the
filmmakers were aware that the franchise is dying and that their last
attempt was to add self-aware characters and idiotic, dumb lines in the
film with the many problems the film already has.
Even the
characters are more like an excuse to kill them off later. It's apparent
that this isn't a movie but more of a carnival ride, waiting to see who
dies and how they will die. That's how low this film has gone. You'd
also be surprised to find out that the most fleshed out character is, in
fact, not the protagonist, but a supporting character, played by
Mykelti Williamson. He gives a laughable and forced performance but
that's nothing compared to Bobby Campo, who is easily the worst
premonitionist in the franchise. He can't act to save his life. And the
less we say about the others, the better. However, I'm willing to admit
the only character I did feel sympathy for was played by Krista Allen,
who plays a motherly role with an extremely short running time.
However,
there are other few things that I liked about the film (emphasis on the
word "few"): There's a sequence in a salon and a car wash that have at
least SOME suspense. I don't know if this counts but I also liked the
opening credits, which I thought was ingenious, a montage of the
previous films' memorable death scenes. And that's about it. Three
things. What an accomplishment!
I guess it isn't hard to tell but
this is, by far, the weakest in the series because there's nothing new.
You'd expect that a mythology so easily expandable would be explored
here but no. By the end of the film, you feel underwhelmed. You wished
they could have done better. In fact, you KNOW they could have done
better. If they were to make a fifth film, they better put some thought
into it. If you're thinking about watching this movie only ONCE, you
should see it in its intended format in 3D AND in theaters, but I don't
see why anyone should waste their money on this film.
