Final Destination Bloodlines Review: An Unexpectedly Endearing Gorefest

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Life is full of unexpected events like birthday parties and snow days, but one thing that’s consistently predictable is the “Final Destination” movie franchise. These films always deliver exactly what they promise. The upcoming horror film “Final Destination Bloodlines,” set to be released in 2025, is another installment in this series focusing on characters trying to outsmart Death. Although the concept may be tired at this point, directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, who previously directed “Freaks,” have crafted a genuinely entertaining movie with plenty of grisly, imaginative action scenes and strong performances from its young cast. “Final Destination Bloodlines” is classic, B-movie fun.

By now, you’re familiar with the routine: when someone accidentally cheats death, usually by foreseeing a disaster they can prevent, it doesn’t make Death happy. In fact, it motivates Death to work extra hard, devising gruesome methods to eliminate these individuals and maintain balance. In this scenario, our foresight-possessing hero is Iris (played by Brec Bassinger). She and her boyfriend attend the grand opening of Skyview, a luxurious restaurant high above the ground, clearly not meeting safety standards. Iris has a premonition of the building collapsing, and manages to alert everyone in time, preventing any fatalities. As you can imagine, this infuriates Death.

In about fifty years, Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), Iris’s granddaughter, is plagued by distressing dreams concerning the Skyview, which drives her to reconnect with her estranged grandmother. Upon doing so, she uncovers a startling revelation. The individuals who survived the aborted Skyview incident have been marked for death, and once Iris passes away, Death will move on to the rest of her family lineage. Consequently, it is now Stefani’s responsibility to devise a means to safeguard her kin against Death’s relentless pursuit.

Death is keeping it in the family

The structure of the story centering on a family bonded by blood that gradually disintegrates adds depth to its emotional impact. It’s effortless to empathize with these closely-connected cousins since their predicament carries an immediate sense of danger. Each demise is not merely surprising, but a tragic loss of a cherished relative. The performers portraying the children – Stefani, Charlie (Teo Briones), Erik (Richard Harmon), Julia (Anna Lore), and Bobby (Owen Patrick Joyner) – are convincingly cast and captivating. They’re more multi-faceted than usual for a horror film of this genre, with the characters Erik and Bobby particularly notable. The directors skillfully incorporate humor to alleviate tension alongside grisly deaths, demonstrating their mastery of balancing lightness and darkness in such a production.

Final Destination” excels in creating unique, graphic scenes of death as a form of vengeance from Death itself. The death sequences are exceptional, ranging from the lengthy opening at Skyview Restaurant to the current-day barbecue that triggers the chaos. Despite some humorous elements showing a lighthearted approach during production, there’s an underlying sense of dread as you find yourself, like Stefani and Iris, anticipating the various ways these characters could meet grisly ends.

Actually caring about horror movie protagonists: a novel concept

In essence, a key indicator of a successful horror movie like this one, with numerous character deaths, is if viewers feel emotionally invested when these characters perish. It’s surprising how many horror productions fail to accomplish this. Regardless of the number of gruesome killings or startling surprises, it doesn’t make much impact if we don’t cheer for the characters to triumph against the odds and escape danger. In contrast, “Final Destination: Bloodlines” excels in this aspect as we develop an affinity for the unfortunate Campbell-Reyes family, and secretly wish they could outsmart Death somehow.

As a gamer, I must admit that I often don’t mind action-packed movies without much deeper meaning, as long as there’s plenty of gore to keep me entertained. However, the concept of generational trauma in “Final Destination Bloodlines” really grabbed my attention. The young cousins seem determined to halt a cycle – a cycle that Death follows, reclaiming those who have cheated him and their descendants. But it’s also about the emotional burden they inherit from their family. Iris harmed her children by becoming too obsessed with Death, leading to their removal from her care, while Stefani’s mother abandoned her and Charlie to protect them from a similar fate. In this game against Death, they have an opportunity to put a stop to this pattern once and for all.

Let me clarify, “Final Destination: Bloodlines” isn’t exactly a contender for Oscars; it’s more of a light-hearted, fun-filled movie within the broader horror genre. Even the best “Final Destination” films tend to find themselves in the mid-tier category. The film relies heavily on a single gimmick, but the directors’ skills manage to keep it engaging and fresh. Watching it in a theater with an energetic audience makes it even more enjoyable. Despite my initial expectations that “Final Destination” wouldn’t offer anything new, this version of the concept turns out to be quite enjoyable.

“Final Destination Bloodlines” hits theaters on May 16.

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2025-05-13 21:34