The Unofficial ‘Final Destination’ Film That Trumps Them All

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For over two decades, the “Final Destination” series by James Wong has developed into a chilling horror saga, spanning six movies thus far, leaving its dedicated fanbase who’ve matured alongside it in awe.

A unique aspect of this horror movie from 2000 directed by Wong is that instead of having a single iconic villain as the main antagonist like most other horror franchises, it revolves around a concept or an unseen danger that carries out the acts of violence.

The murders come across less like acts of homicide than someone dying of being a severe klutz.

The scenario revolves around a cluster of high school students assembling at an airport for a late-night flight. Among them, it’s Alex Browning, portrayed by Devon Sawa, who senses an ominous foreboding in the atmosphere. Indications of impending peril come from eerie sounds and instances reminiscent of déjà vu.

Ultimately, after Alex and his fellow students, including Seann William Scott and Ali Larter, boarded the airplane, we watched it ascend only to swiftly ignite in flames – an ominous premonition that later proved true. In this vision, Alex was overwhelmed, causing him to panic and disembark the plane along with a group of his classmates.

The unexpected event serves as confirmation of the prediction, and it gradually dawns on the surviving teenagers that they’re walking into Death’s carefully planned destiny, meaning their end is imminent.

In my opinion, the captivating introduction, rumored to be a proposal for an unrealized “X-Files” episode, echoes the essence of classic “The Twilight Zone” tales. To put it another way, it seems as though this prologue is a spiritual successor to an exceptional, Kevin Reynolds-directed episode from the 1985 season of “Amazing Stories,” titled “You Gotta Believe Me.

In this segment, we find Charles Durning portraying an old gentleman who decides to leave his retirement facility and rush to a neighboring airport. There, he alarms the passengers by urgently informing them that the aircraft they’re planning to board is destined for disaster.

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In my perspective, the opening act of “Final Destination” hooks you within the first 30 minutes with its intense power. The remainder of the film continues to captivate, yet it can’t help but feel a bit over-the-top and silly at times. This pattern persists across all the sequels as well. Each begins with gripping, violent scenes that are incredibly effective, almost making you forget about the excessive violence, slapstick humor, and repetitive teen deaths from seemingly innocent mistakes.

Prior to the unexpected box office hit, “Final Destination: Bloodlines” – the sixth movie in the series – all previous films in the franchise had a recurring issue: they began with a powerful start but lost momentum well before their characters met their untimely ends.

Among the “Final Destination” series, “Final Destination: Bloodlines” stands out as the most exceptional, with fans of the franchise having their preferred spinoff and rightfully praising the continuous feature – the appearance of Tony Todd as a cryptic, omniscient morgue worker named Bludworth.

If fans of “Final Destination” are catching up on the entire series ahead of the new movie, I’ve got an idea for a two-part viewing that goes beyond the franchise itself. In fact, a chilling horror film from this year shares many similarities with “Final Destination”, and much like its latest sequel, it’s impressive for being so well-crafted and unexpectedly sharp.

A more engaging rewording could be: “The outstanding film, titled ‘The Monkey,’ by director Osgood Perkins, delves into dark comedy and subtly echoes the themes of ‘Final Destination.’ However, it offers a deeper exploration of grief and the unknown that follows.

In this rephrased version, Theo James plays twin siblings Hal and Bill, who were brought up knowing about a mechanical monkey toy with the power to potentially cause harm to a specific target. The method by which the toy carries out its lethal function is reminiscent of the concept in “Final Destination”.

As I scrutinize this chilling cinematic spectacle, I find myself confronted with a malevolent symbol – the monkey – who wields an unseen power that orchestrates “incidents” of a seemingly accidental nature. Upon closer examination, the fatalities attributed to this enigmatic primate exhibit a pattern of disorder and what appears to be human error. The question remains: Is this the work of a careless hand, or is the monkey manipulating events from behind the scenes?

I wasn’t expecting Theo James to be this powerful in his performance as he had never shown such strength before. However, it seems he excels more as the “good” twin compared to the other role. There’s also a minor issue: the climactic showdown in the third act feels predictable.

However, the concluding moments somehow manage to serve up optimism, wonder and savage gore.

In my opinion, Perkins’ latest film surpasses his previous work, “Longlegs” (2024), and stands out as his finest creation yet. It’s a riotous, revolting, and captivating piece that left me in awe. This masterpiece kicks off with the concept of Stephen King’s 1980 short story about a windup monkey, serving as an embodiment of childhood trauma. The film offers a profound exploration of the acceptance of life, despite the inevitable specter of death that hovers over us all.

In a personal and blunt style, yet finding humor in the situation, Perkins delivers an unexpectedly optimistic conclusion.

In his latest piece following “Longlegs,” Perkins yet again showcases the intensity and chilling nature of his art, albeit with a twist – the startling moments are frequently softened by dark humor.

In a subtle twist, “The Monkey” bypasses the precise era portrayal, giving off an impression that it’s set in the mid-1980s at times, although it ultimately presents a contemporary narrative. Instead of dwelling on nostalgia or period markers, this work concentrates on the lingering guilt and sorrow stemming from childhood experiences.

Additionally, we find the movie titled “Final Destination,” which features a youthful group of characters. If these teenagers do not escape Death’s predetermined plan, there will be no memories worth reminiscing over in their future.

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2025-05-24 19:03