Chase Vs. Final Destination: Bloodlines

Chase Will got to see the latest entry into the long running FINAL DESTINATION franchise, but was it his last stop on the franchise, or did he embrace Death?

Plagued by a recurring violent nightmare, a college student returns home to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family from the horrific fate that inevitably awaits them.

Directors: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein

Writers: Guy Busick, Lori Evans Taylor, Jon Watts

Starring: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Rya Kihlstedt, Tony Todd

Final Destination: Bloodlines is easily the most fun I’ve had at a horror movie all year. Yes, The Monkey was a gory good time, but I must hand the award for Best Execution to the former film.

The latest installment in the Final Destination franchise—which hasn’t been active since the subpar Final Destination 5 in 2011—revitalizes the long-running franchise with a plot change-up, fresh creative deaths, and a heartfelt farewell from the late Tony Todd (Candyman).

The film follows Stefani (played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a college student whose grades are suffering due to a lack of sleep caused by weird dreams about her estranged Grandma Iris (Brec Bassinger in the 1960s and Gabrielle Rose in present day). In these dreams, Stefani sees her grandmother’s horrific death in a building collapse that kills dozens of event goers. It turns out these dreams are based on a real event, which was narrowly avoided due to Iris’s premonition. But now, Death is out to claim the intended victims and their bloodlines…and Iris’s kin are next in line.

Aside from the usual fare of gratuitous death sequences and witty dialogue, the film has great character development for its leads. Although Santa Juana plays the leading lady, the real show stealer is Erik (Richard Harmon), the quippy tattoo artist who doesn’t believe in Death’s curse.  He has some of the best dialogue, and although he begins as the annoying cousin, his arc makes you empathize with his character.

The real highlight of Final Destination: Bloodlines is Tony Todd, who gave the final performance of his illustrious career. We’re used to seeing Todd play the creepy coroner in the Final Destination franchise, doling out advice to the main characters. But things are different this time, and he has a much different philosophy on the concept of death. I won’t spoil anything, but if you’re a fan of Todd, be prepared for a wave of emotions.

The film is also in memory of Mr. Todd, and when the dedication arrived post-credits, I honestly cried a little.

Financially, the film is already performing well, with more than a $100 million opening weekend gross against an estimated budget of $40 million. With the recent success of Sinners, this is already a great year for horror creatives and fans alike.

Haul ass to the nearest theater to see Final Destination: Bloodlines. Who knows…maybe it’s Death’s design.

Chase Will is from Coshocton, OH, where some of the kindest people in the world live. He loves horror movies, punk and metal music, theater, and competing in amateur powerlifting. He’s written for several horror websites, including Dread Central, HorrorNews dot net, Scare Tissue, and CryptTeaze.