Just when you thought you’d seen the last of Death’s deadly premonitions, we’ve got yet another Final Destination sequel because in Hollywood… money talks. Bloodlines resuscitates the franchise 14 years later, following a college student attempting to save her family from the horrifying fate that awaits them.
The Final Destination franchise is one that never needs any changes or evolutions to its structure and formula to deliver. The thrill of witnessing these wild death sequences full of red herrings, unsettling foreshadowing and uncomfortably tangible situations is what people come to see. While all that is in here, Final Destination Bloodlines also attempts and succeeds in weaving in an emotional arc for our main characters. It’s not the most tear-jerking content you’ve ever seen, but the family-driven motivation is the depth that keeps the story fresh. It hits classic tropes you’ve seen from other supernatural slashers, but moves through them fast enough to where they’re not a blight on the film. For instance the whole “visiting an expert on what’s happening” trope is in here, but rather than being 3/4 through the movie it’s in the first act. This, among other creative decisions, keep the story moving and make it more than just an anthology of unfortunate events.
However, those unfortunate events are what we pay to see, and I’m glad to say that the franchise hasn’t lost its touch. Each death sequence in here is wonderfully brutal, bloody and gore-filled, with Death offing his victims in the most chaotically unfortunate and painful ways imaginable. Part of the fun of this series has always been trying to predict the domino effect that will lead to each person’s death. The writers know that, and so they’ve filled every one of these sequences with clever misdirects to throw you off the scent and leave you surprised with how every death goes down. There’s a great sense of tension through each death set-piece that had the audience curling up and bracing for the worst, most uncomfortable ways to die. Some deaths are more memorable than others, but there’s definitely one or two in here that will go down as franchise classics. They don’t skimp on blood, with a decent combination of practical and visual effects. I’d have liked a bit more of the practical, but the way they mutilate bodies it makes sense why you’d need some visual effect assistance.
One aspect of horror this film nails better than anything is the sound design. Each death sequence puts you on edge thanks to the heightened sense of sound awareness. It hones in on every little creak, clank and knock surrounding the characters to make you as unsettled as they are. It’s a small but effective creative choice that does nothing but enhance the thrill of the film. As for negatives, there’s nothing about the film that I’d identify as a glaring issue. It stands on its own as an entertaining horror reboot and it subsequently builds on the lore of its predecessors without requiring knowledge of those events. It’s not a phenomenal movie but it’s thoroughly enjoyable and hit the mark with what I was expecting.
Performance-wise I enjoyed what everyone was bringing to the table. That being said, some of the performances are too exaggerated at times – for instance Richard Harmon (Erik) can be a little too in your face with his character’s eccentricities. Some of his reactions cross that line of being too campy and it’s a little distracting. Granted it was probably a trait written into the script, but it just felt off. The highlight of the cast is the chemistry of Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Teo Briones who play the lead siblings. Their interactions are fun and their bond services both the campy horror and the heart-driven story. The rest of the cast are solid, the only thing limiting their impact is just character depth. They’re good and they serve their role well, but there’s nothing more to it than that.
In the end, Final Destination Bloodlines is a solid return for the supernatural horror franchise, delivering the thrills you expect and the heart you don’t. The death sequences are the set-pieces of the film and everything is built around them. The tight close-ups, sound design and unsettling tone work to make every one of these moments as suspenseful as the last. The main goal of this film is to instill terror in a new generation with its outrageous kills while bringing fun to the theatre… something it successfully pulls off.
7.2/10
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