Final Destination (2000) Movie Review
Written By: JASR
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: James Wong
Producers: Richard Brener, Glen Morgan, et al.
Writers: Glen Morgan, James Wong, Jeffrey Reddick
Date Released: March 17, 2000 (USA)
Cast:
Devon Sawa as Alex Browning
Ali Larter as Clear Rivers
Kerr Smith as Carter Horton
Kristen Cloke as Valerie Lewton
Chad Donella as Tod Waggner
Seann William Scott as Billy Hitchcock
Amanda Detmer as Terry Chaney
Rating = 2/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
After Alex (Devon Sawa) has a premonition that their plane to Paris is going to explode, he tries to warn everyone – only to be forced to get out of the plane. A few other students, along with Ms. Lewton (Kristen Cloke), also get out of the plane before takeoff. The plane takes off, and those who got out witness it explode a few moments later. The survivors later learn that they were supposed to die on that plane. They must find a way to cheat Death after finding out that Death is out to get them one by one.
Gore Factor
Final Destination movies are known for their death and freak accident scenes. As the first installment, Final Destination (2000) is just as gory as you’d think it would be. Expect decapitation and some blood that will make you cringe in disgust. However, some death scenes are so abrupt that they barely have time to be gory – such as the quick bus accident of one of the characters. Nevertheless, the death scenes can be rather creative and over-the-top.
The Grave Review
There’s a reason why Final Destination (2000) has more than one installment. It has an interesting plot that makes viewers get paranoid about their daily lives. One way to tell whether a horror movie is good is how it impacts its viewers. Final Destination definitely leaves a mark on its audience – especially the most paranoid ones. It makes you extra careful in whatever you do, wherever you go, and even whoever you talk to.
What sold the Final Destination series are its creative death scenes. The viewer is always asked when, where and how will a character die. The anticipation was enough to generate the beginning of a multi-film franchise. With that said, there is little other substance that makes the film memorable.
Despite the interesting plot, Final Destination contained flaws which gave rise to some questions during the course of the film. There seemed to be this period of time in the 1990s and early 2000s, from Scream to Cruel Intentions where teenagers would be able to freely do as they please without any presence from their family. Final Destination was no exception. Naturally it was difficult not to ask, are Alex’s parents not worried about where he goes? We see the character going to different places during the whole movie. In terms of logic, it’s quite questionable how his parents have very minimal presence after the plane incident – especially since Alex was the one who had the premonition.
Later in the movie, we see the last three characters who seem to have cheated Death go on a trip to Paris. While some would say that this is a movie and pretty much anything is possible, it still makes you ask some questions. Why did their parents allow them to go to Paris after everything that happened? Also, with that kind of trauma, why would they decide to get on a plane again? Moreover, why would they choose the same country they were supposed to visit on the day of the accident? This trip only happens a few months after the first accident. Shouldn’t the emotional scars still be fresh and painful?
Nonetheless, the way the movie ends can leave the audience imagining what the next scenario would be. It’s like a cliffhanger with a strong ending – allowing the viewers to know the next events without actually seeing them.
Final Destination (2000) enables the viewers’ senses into realizing how the most unexpected things can happen at the most unexpected places – during the most unexpected times.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Final Destination (2000) two graves out of five graves.
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