Rating: **
Warner Bros and New Line Cinema teamed up to take on the fifth instalment of the Final Destination franchise, led by director Steven Quale. It feels somewhat redundant at this stage to outline the plot of the film, as it is exactly the same as the last four features.
But for the benefit of those new to the concept, a short synopsis:
A group of teens narrowly survive a gruesome accident on a collapsing suspension bridge, thanks to an inexplicable premonition that a member of the group, Sam, witnessed moments before events played out. After expressing his horrific concerns, eight people escape the disaster before his fears are realised and countless expendable cast members plumment to their untimely deaths. On returning to their daily lives seemingly unscathed, the lucky survivors soon discover you can't cheat death without him coming back to claim.
Those familiar with the previous iterations will be familiar with the hole-ridden, barely-there plot, stereotypical characterisation and diabolical script typical of the series. That being said, FD5 does offer fans a notable increase in brutality. Going out of its way to be the most heinous it possibly could be, this one trumps its predecessors with rusty hooks, severed limbs and mangled bones - in 3D, kids! Already farcical deaths of movies past are outshone by a horrific gore-fest that teeters over the precarious border into the utterly ludicrous.
What results will prove surprisingly entertaining for classic horror fans with squirmish discomfort that forces you to bear witness as each charcter is systematically slaughtered in obscene, 'Itchy and Scratchy' type accidents that each surpass the last. The overwhelming sound coming from the theatre was not of screams but laughter as the audience gleefully awaited the next implausible, supernaturally-orchestrated fatality.
Final Destination 5 suffers from amaetur acting in parts and stock characters - the jock, the slut, the hot-head, and, dare I say it, the single, token Black guy whose solitary presence pushed the film into the realms of B-movie. Whilst quality and depth may be something lacking, quantity is not - with the franchise managing to drag a callously blugeoned horse for an eleven year span now. A more favourable review would come from looking at the film within the vaccum of its Final Destination canon.
With that in mind, kudos must be awarded to some clever format alterations. A painstakingly familiar storyline was marginally alleviated by the introduction of some new ideas. In this scenario, a morality clause was added. In order to escape the wrath of Death, you could take the life of another and live in their place for the years they were supposed to have left. This was certainly an interesting touch as it allowed for some characters to battle with their morality, leading to villany and additional threat from within the ranks.
Fans of the previous films are also rewarded for their loyalty with subtle references to events in the chain and the appearance of William Bludworth, the unsettling, foreboding coroner from each instalment, solidiying his trademark creepiness as he warns the group: 'Death doesn't like to be cheated'. Fans will also appreciate the gruesome sizzle reel celebration of iconic deaths from the franchise over the end credits.
Another positive were the many red herrings. Viewers sat on the egde of their seats as almost every possible weapon or sharp, hazardous object within a scene was highlighted, forcing a collective groan from ticket holders as they covered their 3D goggles. Shoddy buildingwork and questionable locations that violate countless safety codes are commonplace - you'd think by now they'd have learnt not to put the unstable water cooler next to those pesky, exposed electrical cables. However I can safely say most deaths do not play out as expected.
Those who manage to make it to the end will also be delighted by an unexpected twist ending that may just be the best thing about the entire movie.
Appeasing the gore-porn generation that spawned the Saw franchise, (though those movies blessed our screens with a far more intelligent and versatile thread), and similarly fans of horror comedies like Scary Movie, Final Destination 5 confidently straddles the mid point between torture-romp and spoof.
Overall, one would presume the second unit director of Avatar and Titanic and the screenwriter behind 2010's Nightmare On Elm Street could have between them produced something a little more befitting of their portfolios. If they were intending to stay true to the path the other instalments paved, then they did an adequate job of that.
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