We Rewatched The Final Destination Movies And They’re Completely Different Now

The “Final Destination” series is often regarded as one of the standout horror franchises of the 21st century, an impressive achievement given the similarities between the films. However, the consistent entertainment value makes up for this. Each movie starts with a group on the brink of a dangerous situation. One character has a premonition of impending doom and manages to evacuate themselves and their companions from danger. However, they’re not entirely safe. Death pursues them individually to claim what it is owed, resulting in some unforgettable death scenes.

The primary appeal of each “Final Destination” film lies in the imaginative, almost comical methods characters meet their end. It appears Death possesses a witty streak, as numerous sequences feature elaborate plans where multiple potential causes of death exist, keeping viewers on edge as they scrutinize every aspect to predict the character’s fate. The films masterfully employ minute details, making repeat viewings rewarding as previously overlooked elements can become evident. Upon re-examining the series, we’ve uncovered some intriguing observations.

Lots of characters are named after horror icons

In the latest installment of the “Final Destination” series, set in 2025 and titled “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” the central family is called the Campbells. This name might be familiar to many, but for horror enthusiasts, it may remind them of Bruce Campbell from the “Evil Dead” movies. Is this a coincidence? Upon revisiting the “Final Destination” series, it seems unlikely. The creators appear to have drawn inspiration from some true legends in the horror genre right from the start, as suggested by the names of certain characters in the initial film.

Devon Sawa’s character Alex Browning seems to be named after film director Tod Browning, who made the classic movie “Dracula” in 1931. The character Billy Hitchcock, played by Seann William Scott, appears to be named after famous director Alfred Hitchcock, known for films such as “Psycho” and “Vertigo.” Larry Murnau’s name suggests a connection to the German filmmaker Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, who made the influential horror movie “Nosferatu.” Valerie Lewton, played by Kristen Cloke, appears to share her name with producer Val Lewton, who produced the classic horror film “Cat People” in 1942.

In the movie “Cat People,” there’s an early shock moment where a woman is frightened by a bus. The “Final Destination” series often uses buses for its scary scenes, such as when Terry Chaney (Amanda Detmer) meets her end by stepping in front of a bus. This later scene resembles the original one, but with someone actually getting hit by the bus. This suggests that the creators of the “Final Destination” series have carefully studied and learned from past horror scenes to make their own more impactful.

Numbers are important in the Final Destination films

Some people think that angel numbers serve as signs from a higher power. Whether this is true in reality remains uncertain, but in the universe of “Final Destination,” it would be prudent to notice the repeated numbers that appear. The most noteworthy among these is “180.” This number sequence begins with Alex’s alarm clock showing “1:80” before he and his classmates board Volée Airlines Flight 180. Later, the other characters are seen at Le Cafe Miro 81 when the neon sign falls down on Carter Horton (Kerr Smith). When it falls and is broken, the “18” in the sign aligns with the “O,” forming the number “180.

In various installments of the franchise, sequences involving the numbers one, eight, and zero recurrently appear, such as in “Final Destination 2” where Kat Jennings (Keegan Connor Tracy) meets an accident at the 180 Mile Marker, suggesting a portent of Death. This number “180” could be interpreted as a symbolic warning of impending doom or a wink to the unexpected twists that characterize many deaths in the series. For instance, in “Final Destination 5,” Olivia (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) undergoes LASIK eye surgery, leading viewers to anticipate her death through the procedure; however, she falls out of a window instead, taking a drastic turn or “180” from our initial assumptions.

In various films of the “Final Destination” series, the number 23 appears frequently, such as Clear Rivers being seated in the 23rd row in the initial movie and a fatal accident involving a logging truck happening on Highway 23 in the second film. Additionally, there’s a road sign in the second film indicating that the next service station is 23 miles away. The significance of the number 23 is unclear, but it consistently adds suspense whenever it appears on screen.

There are lots of needle drops

The “Final Destination” movies seem to reveal a mischievous side of death, as evidenced by the numerous instances of ironic music choices that are found throughout these films. These musical cues are often diegetic, meaning they are part of the scene and can be heard by the characters, giving the impression that Death is signaling its impending actions. A well-known example is the use of John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” in the first “Final Destination.” This song carries significant relevance as Denver himself died in an airplane accident (three years before the film was released), and the lyrics, “I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky,” take on a chilling significance when the plane in the movie explodes, causing what appears to be fire raining down.

In the “Final Destination” series, they always incorporate a haunting tune into their storylines. Specifically in “The Final Destination,” or “Final Destination 4,” a character named Carter Daniels (played by Justin Welborn), who was quite racist, met his grisly end being pulled and burned by a tow truck as the song “Why Can’t We Be Friends” by War played – a fitting choice for someone who wouldn’t accept friendships across racial lines.

The movie “Final Destination: Bloodlines” starts with two music references. Upon Iris (Brec Bassinger) and Paul’s (Max Lloyd-Jones) arrival at Skyview Restaurant, Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” comes on the radio, foreshadowing the events as the restaurant transforms into a literal ring of fire following an explosion inside its circular structure. Later, the tune “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by B.J. Thomas plays just as people start falling from the sky (raining down) after the glass floor shatters in the restaurant.

Final Destination 2 opens with a goof

One year following the Flight 180 disaster, the story of ‘Final Destination 2′ unfolds. To refresh the viewers’ memory, the film begins with a news anchor discussing the anniversary, saying, “This tragedy has left an indelible mark on many, particularly Mt. Abraham High School, which tragically lost six students and one teacher in the plane crash.” This is incorrect because after Alex’s premonition, only four students and a teacher named Valerie Lewton actually got off the doomed flight before it exploded mid-air.

It seems likely that the news reporter made an error regarding the information, as the plane’s passenger list might have shown 44 people from Mt. Abraham boarded, despite some of them disembarking later, due to everyone else still being on board. However, the news reporter then discusses how the students who survived the initial incident later died in various complex ways in the days following it. This gives the impression that the reporter or scriptwriters could have benefited from more thorough fact-checking.

Death’s rules differ from film to film

In each “Final Destination” film, there’s a consistent pattern: A character experiences a premonition of a catastrophe, avoids their own death and that of those close to them, but eventually meets their end according to the sequence they would’ve died in had the vision not occurred. This structure was set up clearly in the first movie. However, oddly enough, the rules seem to fluctuate from one film to another without any clear justification. For instance, in “Final Destination 2,” instead of dying in the order predicted by the Route 23 vision, people perish in reverse order. There’s no reason provided for Death acting in reverse this time around.

As a gamer, I can’t help but notice an oddity in the “Final Destination 5” movie plot. You see, Sam Lawton got a premonition about a bridge collapse, and people who were in that vision died later on. However, Molly Harper wasn’t part of that vision, which makes me wonder, should she have been among those who survived? But here’s the twist: Molly winds up on Flight 180 at the end of “Final Destination 5,” which is the same flight we see in the early 2000’s “Final Destination.” Now, I know there were a lot of people on that plane, so maybe Death just enjoys playing with our expectations and causing chaos.

The way some people die gets foreshadowed

Previously, we discussed the diverse methods Death employs to indicate impending demise, be it through symbolic numbers or unexpected songs. On occasion, Death subtly hints at future events, occasionally requiring several films for the foreshadowing to culminate.

In the third installment of the “Final Destination” series, foreshadowing is skillfully employed. The character Wendy Christensen (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) takes photographs of her classmates at an amusement park before they board a rollercoaster. However, Wendy experiences a premonition, causing them all to avoid the rollercoaster. It appears Death is enjoying itself as it begins to claim the lives of those who survived, mimicking how they were photographed in their deaths. For example, a picture of characters Ashley (Chelan Simmons) and Ashlyn (Crystal Lowe) has an orange tint, and they meet their end in flaming tanning beds. However, the events of “Final Destination 2” take this concept to another level.

In the dentist office scene of the second movie, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a chilling moment from “Final Destination 4.” Just like Hunt (played by Nick Zano), one fish in the tank got trapped in its filter, mirroring his grisly demise at the hands of a pool filter. Whether this was a deliberate hint or just a coincidence, given that Eric Bress, who worked on both movies, might have had that gruesome death lingering in his thoughts for some time, it’s an intriguing connection to make!

Real machines don’t work the way they do in Final Destination movies

To truly appreciate the “Final Destination” series, you need to suspend disbelief about the frequent deaths caused by faulty technology in ways that rarely occur in reality. For instance, remember the tanning bed scene from “Final Destination 3”? It’s worth noting that modern tanning beds are equipped with emergency shut-off mechanisms to prevent the top panel from locking shut, a safety measure that makes sense given the potential dangers of such equipment if not properly designed.

In the film “Final Destination 5”, a tragic incident unfolds during Olivia’s LASIK eye surgery, which appears implausible as LASIK devices typically have backup power sources to prevent such malfunctions. However, an article on the LASIK website clarifies that this scene is fictional, emphasizing that LASIK is a safe procedure with minimal complications and risks. The article further explains that any side effects are usually minor and temporary, debunking the notion that serious harm could occur during LASIK surgery.

In the film “Final Destination: Bloodlines”, there’s a scene where an MRI machine behaves unrealistically, becoming excessively magnetic and resulting in another grisly death. However, this depiction was criticized by MRI safety experts like Tobias Gilk, who stated that it contains many falsehoods or technically implausible elements. He hopes that anyone considering an MRI after watching the movie disregards this scene as a purely fictional event.

Final Destination 3 has a deadly subway map

In “Final Destination 3,” the movie concludes with Wendy entering subway car 081, a rearrangement of numbers that signifies something ominous is approaching. As the announcement over the loudspeaker states, “This is Booth Street. Next stop is Oswald. End of the line.” While many viewers might focus on the “End of the line” part, assuming the subway is about to derail and cause a catastrophic accident, it’s also significant that the street names are Booth and Oswald. These names are reminiscent of two notorious presidential assassins – John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald. However, this isn’t the only murderous Easter egg hidden in that scene.

When Wendy examines the subway map, it becomes evident that various stations are named after notorious killers. For instance, a station is labelled McVeigh, presumably linked to Timothy McVeigh, who orchestrated the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Some of these names aren’t hard to decipher: One is titled Bundy, referring to infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, and another is Gein, hinting at Ed Gein, yet another notorious figure. There are also stations named Jim Jones and the Jonestown Transfer, both acknowledging the Jonestown massacre with Jones as the cult leader.

This city seems quite unusual, as each stop carries such ominous implications. Yet, fitting with the macabre themes observed within the “Final Destination” series, it’s not surprising that Death permeates this place in an eerie, ironic manner.

Death loves making use of water

Besides faulty electrical appliances, Death seems to have a penchant for using water and other liquids (sometimes flammable) as lethal tools against its victims, as depicted in the “Final Destination” series. For instance, Tod Waggner (Chad E. Donella) meets his end when he slips on an overflowing toilet and gets a clothesline around his neck in the original film. In “Final Destination 2”, Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook) nearly drowns, but manages to escape death temporarily. A similar water-related demise occurs in “Final Destination: Bloodlines” with Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), however she does not survive until the end.

In “Final Destination 4”, characters Janet Cunningham (Haley Webb) and Jonathan Groves (Jackson Walker) experience close calls with water-related incidents. Janet nearly meets her end in a car wash, while the pool scene also poses a threat to her. As for Jonathan, he narrowly escapes electrocution by water and electrical devices, only to be fatally struck by a falling bathtub later on. Moreover, water indirectly causes chaos in other scenes such as in “Final Destination 2”, where fish getting stuck in the tank filter leads to spilled water that short-circuits the electrical equipment and triggers nitrous gas release in a room occupied by Tim Carpenter (James Kirk).

Liquids, including water, can serve as metaphorical instruments associated with death, given their symbolism as vital for life. In each instance, the natural fluid has been twisted into a harbinger of demise.

Horseshoes are everywhere

In the “Final Destination” series, horseshoes are often noticeable and symbolize good fortune. Yet, if a horseshoe is flipped over, it’s considered bad luck as all the good fortune supposedly drains out of its opening. Interestingly, in “Final Destination 2”, character Evan Lewis (David Paetkau) wears a horseshoe ring – an apparent sign of his recent lottery win. However, his streak of good luck ends tragically when he meets a gruesome death under a falling fire escape ladder, one of the most memorable deaths in the “Final Destination” collection.

In “Final Destination 4”, Carter’s car sports an overturned horseshoe dangling from his rearview mirror. This loose trinket activates the radio and spontaneously ignites the truck. However, it’s important to note that horseshoes aren’t universally ominous within this series. In “Final Destination: Bloodlines”, a neon horseshoe adorns the tattoo parlor where Erik nearly meets his demise. Despite this close call, he eventually escapes unscathed and is revealed to be off Death’s list. The fact that this horseshoe was upright suggests it serves as a fortunate talisman intended to protect Erik.

In the “Final Destination” series, a recurring theme extends beyond just horseshoes – it takes delight in subverting symbols of good fortune. For instance, in “Final Destination 4,” the character Hunt carries a lucky penny with him, only to meet his grisly end in the pool after he drops it. Coincidentally, pennies also appear often in “Bloodlines.” Interestingly, it appears that the safest move within this franchise is to steer clear of any potentially hazardous situation, as you might otherwise become a part of someone else’s premonition. However, the catch is that the characters in these films are inclined towards making foolish decisions.

2025-05-21 19:02