Final Destination | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

This is a re-watch that I was really looking forward to.

I've seen all of the Final Destination movies countless times and really love the franchise as a whole, so any time I have an excuse to watch one of them, I'm always down!

This one in particular, while not my favourite of the franchise, is iconic as the one that started it all, and certainly earns the 'classic' title.

First of all, we have to talk about the originality of the story. It's an idea that allows the audience to put themselves in the characters' situation in a way that's both fun and genuinely scary.

But this one in particular, starting off on a plane, was a great way to capitalise on real common fears. Even if you're not someone who's scared of flying, seeing the plane scene definitely sends a chill down your spine. And then on top of that, you realise it's a vision, and you're forced to think about what you'd do in that situation.

The actors are all great, whether playing dramatic or comedic. While some have had more successful careers than others, it's a shame that barely any of them became household names, though I love randomly seeing them in things. But they all should have had much bigger careers off the back of this movie - and that's true of a lot of the actors in this franchise.

But in particular, Devon Sawa played a really great main character, and absolutely one of the best of the franchise.

And of course, Tony Todd, who did so much for the horror genre but was particularly incredible in these movies. I was so glad that he appeared in the most recent movie; it was so lovely the way things were tied up for his character.

And then there's the death scenes. Probably the most important part of these movies.

For a start, they use just the right amount of gore. Some of it can feel a bit silly at times, or a bit over the top, but when it's done well, it really works. In later movies, things could feel a bit out of place (though this was rectified in the most recent movie), but here at the start these scenes were great.

Another iconic thing about them is the way they happen. The way you see everything leading up, you see the little moments that lead to bigger moments, and then the actual death ends up being something unexpected, is really fun. The more it subverts your expectations, the more you want to keep watching.

I loved that there's such an interesting lore here. Each movie adds a new rule, each rule adds a new element to the story, and by the time you get to film 6, you're an expert in this world. Which is one of the best things about getting into a franchise.

I also have to mention the endings. Other than one movie, they all end in a similar way, and it's great to see where, and how, that started. For some of the movies, the endings are absolutely the best part.

So overall, this is absolutely a classic franchise, and every film is 100% worth watching!