Long-dead franchise gets gruesome, great resurrection
The newest 'Final Destination' film is sure to make your blood run cold
"Final Destination: Bloodlines" brings "The Final Destination" series back from the dead. It's a great return to the series!
The movie follows Stefani, played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana ("Thespians"), who is plagued by dreams of a horrible disaster from long ago. As she returns home from college, she unravels a major conspiracy having to do with her family and how they tie into the disaster of her nightmares.
Family members start to die, and Stefani needs to quickly find out why because she's next on the chopping block.
This was a really fun movie for people wanting to get into the horror genre. It may be the sixth film in the series, but it stands on its own with new characters and a somewhat new plot.
If you've seen the "Final Destination" movies, "Bloodlines" is a great palette cleanser. It builds on what the franchise is most famous for: The overdramatic and sometimes hilarious deaths of its characters. This movie made me *mostly* excited for the franchise again.
I will say most of the characters are well-acted and memorable. Richard Harmon ("Grave Encounters 2") plays Erik, an awful-but-very-entertaining member of the family. He has a great scene in the hospital, which I won't spoil. Let's just say you'll be magnetized by his performance.
Tony Todd also gives the last performance of his life in this movie before dying of cancer. His terrific speech about life and death had me tearing up.
I have some strong criticisms about the movie though. I will say the ending is very rushed and abrupt and left a sour taste in my mouth. Some will like it because it's really funny, but for the people who like the stories and characters, it may feel a bit cruel.
I also felt like the movie didn't matter in the end, and rewatching it will be a challenge because the shock factor is gone.
Overall, though, I thought this movie was really fun. It's definitely recommended for horror fans to see it at least once, if for nothing more than respect for Tony Todd. I'd give "Final Destination: Bloodlines" a 7.5/10.
