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Movie: Final Destination 5 review: "Best sequel in the franchise"
Member Since: 3/6/2011
Posts: 7,353
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Final Destination 5 review: "Best sequel in the franchise"
No Spoilers
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When you get to the fifth film in any franchise it's easy to make bold proclamations such as: "it's easily the best" or "it's the best sequel" in the series. The jokes surrounding Transformers 3 this summer were such that many critics would declare the obvious in stating that it was "better than" part 2 – a beyond obvious observation. Expect the same with Warners and New Line Cinema's Final Destination 5, only know that it's an entirely different beast altogether. Critics (specifically those who have a soft spot in their heart for the series) will celebrate it as the best sequel in the franchise; but know this: it truly, whole-heartedly, genuinely, and without a shadow of a doubt IS the best. There are no qualifiers.
When a franchise enters its (rare) fifth incarnation, most studios will pound the calculator, check the numbers, and half-ass out sequel after sequel until the opening weekend box office numbers fail to meet their expectations. The sole plan is to "milk" the fan out of as much money as they possibly can, which is what The Final Destination felt like back in '09. Simply put, it was garbage. It became a self-referencing, meta-machine bloated with cheesy kills as a device to move the movie from scene to scene.
I don't know how or where the change occurred, but all of a sudden the people behind the Final Destination films realized that the fans deserve WAY better, and decided to take the fifth film deadpan serious. Using the words "fourth sequel" and "serious" in the same breath may seem laughable from where you're sitting, but I implore you to see for yourself.
My long-winded, filibustering introduction does have a point, but unfortunately, to explore these thoughts, it would ruin what will be a "stand-out-of-your-seat and cheer" moment in FD 5. The big OMFG.
But I digress, the essence and soul of the first Final Destination film has returned. FD 5, from James Cameron protégé Steven Quale, takes itself serious and drops the meta-kills from the previous three entries. It instead opts to tell an actual story, builds upon the mythology, and uses both to deliver off-the-charts suspense. Penned by up-and-coming genre star Eric Heisserer (The Thing, A Nightmare on Elm Street), FD 5 realizes his vision/concept to the full extent (unlike Elm Street, which was butchered by a hack known as Sam Bayer). Heisserer has an uncanny ability to lateral think franchises and attack them from a completely fresh and unknown direction. FD 5, while remaining true to the original film, also dabbles in something completely unknown to any of the films – personal differences. While in ALL of the Final Destination films each character is killed off in their own personal, self-serving world, FD 5 steps back and asks, "What would REALLY happen?" While some of the exposition gets a little porky, the third act takes a very interesting turn when a few of the survivors become entangled in a battle of logic. Based on the rules, who deserves to live and who deserves to die? It causes one of the characters to lose his mind and thus a fistfight ensues. And within this fistfight, Death is making his own plans. It's suspense overload that had me squirming in my seat like a 5-year-old watching "Barney".
If I owned a film school, Final Destination 5 would be a required watch. It's the kind of movie that would make Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, proud. It's a lesson to filmmakers on how to build tension so tight that it's shocking no viewer had brain hemorrhaging. Quale really takes his time with each "kill set piece" as he literally introduces dozens of potential hazards and then hangs on them for heavy seconds. The survivor is then dropped right in the middle of the death zone, and does a dance around all of these various hazards. It's beautifully choreographed, much like an epic fight sequence in an action film. Quale squeezes every ounce of air out of your body and leaves very little room to breathe. Suffer from asthma? Bring your inhaler.
To build on the positive; the 3-D does put a punctuation on the experience, and the over-the-top gore remains intact. There's little screen time wasted, as nearly every second is intensely engaging. And the finale is such a shocker that it's going to force you to revisit every film in the franchise. Hopefully my long-winded review is enough evidence to support the statement that Final Destination 5 is the best sequel in the franchise, and I can thus guarantee this will be filling a slot in my top 10 of 2011. The only bad thing to come out of all of this is knowing that they will NEVER be able to top it…
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BLOODY-DISGUSTING
Jesus take the mutha****in' wheel. I am NOT ready. I need to go buy some new wig glue for Friday.
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Member Since: 1/3/2010
Posts: 21,098
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Bloody Disgusting thinks every horror movie that's come out since 2000 is good, tho. I'll judge for myself.
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Member Since: 11/20/2010
Posts: 12,356
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Seeing this Thursday Night! 
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Member Since: 3/6/2011
Posts: 7,353
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Quote:
Originally posted by Midnight
Bloody Disgusting thinks every horror movie that's come out since 2000 is good, tho. I'll judge for myself.
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Mad cause FD5 is ******** on lives AND graves?
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Member Since: 1/3/2010
Posts: 21,098
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Quote:
Originally posted by DrunkNHotBoyz
Mad cause FD5 is ******** on lives AND graves?
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Not in the slightest, lol.
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Member Since: 3/6/2011
Posts: 7,353
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Secretly I kinda know the ending, but I'ma just act like I don't. 
Quote:
Originally posted by Midnight
Not in the slightest, lol.
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You sound like it.
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Member Since: 1/3/2010
Posts: 21,098
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Quote:
Originally posted by DrunkNHotBoyz
Secretly I kinda know the ending, but I'ma just act like I don't.
You sound like it.
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No, I'm just kind of weary. The original's been remade 3 times already, so I just need to know what sets this 5th movie a part from the others.
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Member Since: 11/20/2010
Posts: 12,356
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I'm ready to see the Lasik eye surgery scene.
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Member Since: 3/6/2011
Posts: 7,353
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Quote:
Originally posted by Midnight
No, I'm just kind of weary. The original's been remade 3 times already, so I just need to know what sets this 5th movie a part from the others.
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You'll see. The little bit I know about it already ***** on the last 2. The fact that they say it's better than the 2nd movie (which is the best) says enough.
I think god might have sent this one straight down from heaven. Ya'll ain't ready.
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Member Since: 8/5/2006
Posts: 63,266
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Can't wait for the movie
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Member Since: 1/3/2010
Posts: 21,098
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Quote:
Originally posted by DrunkNHotBoyz
You'll see. The little bit I know about it already ***** on the last 2. The fact that they say it's better than the 2nd movie (which is the best) says enough.
I think god might have sent this one straight down from heaven. Ya'll ain't ready.
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Maybe... I might go read the script.
Anyway, honey, I've been ready. I'm a horror fan (mainly 70's, 80's & throwbacks) which is why I don't too much pay these kinds of films anything but dust.
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Member Since: 9/23/2009
Posts: 12,662
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soo gonna see this
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Member Since: 5/22/2011
Posts: 21,227
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I'm going to see this, I usually end up laughing more though then screaming.. Especially in these series.
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Member Since: 10/25/2010
Posts: 3,112
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If the tension is there like the reviewer says it is i'll be a happy camper.
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Member Since: 11/18/2010
Posts: 33,622
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The original drafts for this movie were god awfull.... so maybe it did get some major re-writes after all. I already know the ending, so I'll just wait for it to appear online to watch.
PS. Does anyone know if they set the movie in Vancouver? The bridge they used is kind of a famous landmark in Vancouver.
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Member Since: 3/5/2011
Posts: 8,561
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Is it as campy as the last movie? 
The Final Destination movies were really good back they weren't such a joke.
If this brings back that creepy/serious aspect that was present in the first 3 movies, I'll be watching it.
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Member Since: 1/27/2006
Posts: 51,546
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Knowing they are going back to how the first film played out (an actual story), and having that dark element again is enough to believe this. I'm so excited, 2 more days! 
And yes, they went back to Vancouver for this film!
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Member Since: 11/21/2010
Posts: 15,739
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I'm ready for this!
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Member Since: 5/14/2009
Posts: 34,871
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It's out already  flop
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Member Since: 11/18/2010
Posts: 33,622
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Quote:
Originally posted by iLays
It's out already flop |
It comes out on Friday.
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