Final Destination Brought a Breath of Fresh Air to the Horror Genre.
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Final Destination brought just what we needed to the horror genre - originality! This killer can't be bashed, battled or captured.
Written by BHM Contributor The Zombie Master
2006
Buy on Amazon
Release: 2000
Written by: Jeffrey Reddick, James Wong, and Glen Morgan
Directed by: James Wong
Starring:
Devon Sawa as Alex Chance Browning
Ali Carter as Clear Rivers
Kerr Smith as Carter Horton
I originally went to watch Final Destination only because I was a huge X-Files fan. What do the two have in common? I am glad you asked. Writer/director James Wong had either written or co-produced many of my favorite X-Files episodes - so I was a big fan. When I discovered that Wong was both directing and co-writing Final Destination it immediately went on my “watch in theatre” list.
Final Destination starts with Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) having a horrid dream. In this dream, Alex and his classmates are getting ready to fly on a trip to Paris as a part of their high school’s French class. Immediately after takeoff the plane starts to have major difficulties and explodes in mid-climb.
Jolted awake by this nightmare Alex finds himself on the very plane and things start to proceed the same way as they did in the dream.
This totally freaks out Alex and he goes nuts trying to warn the other passengers about the impending doom. This causes a scuffle that leads to a handful of students getting thrown off of the plane.
This handful and one teacher are not allowed to re-board the flight, and as they are waiting around for the next flight they watch as the plane they were on taxis down the runway, takes off, and explodes just like Alex said it would.
Now the fun begins. The people who got off of the plane start to die off in freakish accidents. Alex, with help from Clear Rivers (Ali Carter), figures out that they have upset none other than Death himself and Death does not like to be cheated.
Where do I start? I know...Final Destination had some of the most imaginative death scenes that I had seen in a long time. Jeffrey Riddick and James Wong brought a breath of fresh air to the horror genre right when it needed it. Wong's background with X-Files let him bring a new angle to the slasher film. Just when you think there is no other way to design a different killer, Wong brings us one that cannot be seen or killed. What better killer than Death?
Another thing that I liked about Final Destination was that it kept your mind actively looking for the next move that Death was going to make. I like a movie that keeps you thinking, that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It doesn’t give you a chance to be bored.
If you like your horror movies to be just an “R” rated version of Buffy or Charmed then I will suggest that you not watch Final Destination. It might just totally mess up your mind and keep you up at nights. On second thought, this movie might have been made with you in mind.
As for the rest of us, I would recommend this if for no other reason but for the “carnage with a purpose”. Questions or comments about Final Destination? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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