Final Destination Bloodlines Review: A Return-to-Form, Grisly Fun of a Final Destination Movie

Death is back in Final Destination Bloodlines after a long hiatus of well, delaying the inevitable. A 14-year hiatus, to be exact, after we last saw Final Destination 5 brings the franchise full circle. A Final Destination movie lives or dies by how creatively and gory a death scene can be done, and of course, a sense of macabre fun that makes it a popcorn horror best experienced with the crowd on the big screen.

The long-awaited sixth movie gets off to a promising start with something different for a change. At least, in terms of going back to the period era of the 1960s, as we see Paul (Max Lloyd-Jones) surprise his girlfriend, Iris (Brec Bassinger), with a newly opened luxury Skyview Tower. As in the tradition of a Final Destination movie, everything seems normal at first, except for some uneasy feeling that bothers Iris occasionally.

Long story short, things turn into a disaster, thanks to a tiny everyday object that triggers the deadly domino effect. Co-directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein showcase their flair for Rube Goldberg-like moments of escalating tension, favouring a deliberate build-up over an outright burst of graphic violence and gore galore. Don’t worry, that comes later, and it’s all gory fun once everything falls into place. It was a well-directed opening scene that sets the tone of Final Destination Bloodlines, giving me hope this will be the cinematic fun I’ve been waiting for after so long.

The good news is that Lipovsky and Stein didn’t disappoint here as they maintain a steady hand on the pacing and storytelling. The latter is especially true with Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor’s better-than-expected screenplay focusing on the family dynamics, which also serves as a refreshing change of pace for the 25-year-old franchise.

Anyway, going back to the story, Final Destination Bloodlines later jumps to the present-day setting as we are introduced to Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a college student who’s been suffering from a recurring nightmare. The same nightmare related to her grandmother Iris, played by Gabrielle Rose and the Skyview Tower tragedy. She often wakes up screaming, and it has been like that for months, causing her to take action.

And that is, returning home to find out more about Iris from her uncle (Alex Zahara’s Howard) and aunt (April Telek’s Brenda). Her uncle warns her about how unstable Iris is ever since the tragedy that tore the family apart. But Stefani remains persistent in meeting her grandmother in person.

The movie also marks the return of the coroner Bludworth (a frail-looking Tony Todd in his sadly final appearance before passing away last year). It’s hard not to get emotional over his presence and how his subsequent interaction with Stefani and others resonates a lot in foreshadowing and reflecting his own real-life mortality, particularly given the movie’s morbid subject matter. I’m also glad his recurring character is finally given a much-deserved backstory in this movie.

Those who watch this expecting plenty of creative kills are in for a treat. Lipovsky and Stein stage every set piece with enough suspense and anticipation while never forgetting to inject some pitch-black humour, making you anticipate the worst-case scenario that might happen to the characters before they go straight for the jugular. Die-hard fans, in the meantime, can look forward to name drops, nods and references from some of the past Final Destination movies.

As mentioned earlier, family dynamics are what elevate Final Destination Bloodlines, and credits go to Lipovsky and Stein’s assured direction for making me root for Stefani and her family members’ ordeal. The overall acting is above-average, with standout performances going to Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Richard Harmon, where the latter nearly steals the show as the cynical tattooist Erik.

However, the third act feels somewhat underwhelming. I also can’t help but look distracted by some of the shoddy CGI and overexposed background shots, primarily seen in the otherwise spectacular opening scene. It would be great if Lipovsky and Stein delve deeper into the mythology surrounding Death’s predetermined plan in taking the lives of its chosen ones. Still, even with some of the shortcomings, Final Destination Bloodlines remains a significant step-up over the last few movies and certainly deserves a spot as one of the best entries in the franchise.