‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ review: An explosive return

The wild kills, impending terror, and emotional depth of Final Destination: Bloodlines will reignite your love for this horror franchise.

Death couldn’t wait any longer to claim another crop of victims in its cruel design. And for that, we’re so thankful for its comeback! Final Destination: Bloodlines from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. returned after a nearly 15-year hiatus to create one of its best sequels. While horror fans might be well-versed in Death’s design by now, Final Destination: Bloodlines has several tricks up its sleeves to keep audiences on their toes and unprepared for what will come next. Bloodlines uses its time away to showcase how much the franchise has grown to meet its modern (and nostalgic) horror fans.

Death finds a new design.

If the Final Destination series knows at least one thing to master, it’s the structure of its premonition and resulting doom. The franchise successfully channels our fears through terrifying disasters, like the log truck of Final Destination 2 or the roller coaster of Final Destination 3. The basis of this terror sets the tone for the rest of the plot and the film at large. Final Destination: Bloodlines takes this staple and flips it on its head, reevaluating everything we’ve experienced in the series.

Final Destination: Bloodlines focuses on the 1968 premonition of Iris Campbell (Brec Bassinger), who witnesses the collapse of the Skyview Restaurant Tower. In true series fashion, Iris intervenes and messes up Death’s design. But the clever spin on this sixth entry is that Final Destination: Bloodlines doesn’t take place in 1968; instead, it follows Iris’ descendants in modern times. Death has come back to finish off her bloodline for interfering and surviving the Skyview tragedy.

This twist on the series’ trademark is an exciting change for the franchise that reinvents how Death plots its design. The approach goes so far as to present a new take on the “sins of the past” theme, showcasing how one decision in the past could dramatically cause a ripple effect in the future. How this one premonition impacted Iris’ family members throughout generations, as well as every surrounding person caught in the crosshairs of its legacy. It’s one of the grandest moves that the Final Destination franchise has taken to date, and in turn, it’s created new character beats and emotional depths that strengthened the sequel’s foundation.

We. Are. Family.

In Final Destination: Bloodlines, the connective modern point for Iris’ family is through her granddaughter Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana). Even though Iris had the premonition, it’s through Stefani’s journey that we find a connection with the rest of the family. The emotional distance between Stefani and her cousins, her brother’s aloofness, and her mother’s abandonment flesh out the emotional weight of the Campbell family tree.

In particular, I found Stefanie’s father to be the most frustrating character. He fell into the horror trap of being the “doubter” archetype, hindering some plot progression. In a structure like Final Destination, time is of the essence. However, his attitude made sense because of the family history that was established before – it all made sense in the grand scheme.

Co-directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein (Kim Possible) do a great job capturing the nuanced layers of the Campbell/Reyes family dynamics. Final Destination: Bloodlines feels like a cast of real characters with history; these people aren’t mindless fodder only meant to ramp up the body count. Sure, people are destined to die in horrific ways, but they have a nuanced past with each other long before we met them. Thanks to the strong script from Guy Busick (Scream VI) and Lori Evans Taylor, Lipovsky and Stein emphasize Stefani’s complex family relationships and how history may be repeating itself. The unspoken generational trauma translates seamlessly onto the screen, both from Death’s recent chaos and everything that came before it.

The ripple effect.

In addition to great character beats, Final Destination: Bloodlines also shines with its death scenes. The sixth film delivers a delicious selection of elaborate and cruel set pieces, continuing a trend the franchise is known for. You’ve got everything from the tried-and-true spontaneous kills that jump scare us to the intricate Rube Goldberg-type deaths that build up all the satisfying tension. Final Destination: Bloodlines offers a little bit of everything, but where this sequel stands out comes from the death scenes having a purpose. By the time Death strikes, the film has earned its pound of flesh, building up the tension and connecting us emotionally to these characters. And in turn, we’ve been taken on the journey to get there.

Plus, the special effects within these death scenes feel seamless and satisfying. Unlike the 3D gimmick of The Final Destination, the franchise has learned its lesson to lean towards realism. This lesson is felt both through the set-up of the death scenes and, ultimately, through the kill. While not every murder is 100% believable, there is some leeway in believability just to enjoy the absurdity and mayhem of it all. Not to give any spoilers away, there are a few kills where it could’ve only happened BECAUSE of a specific series of events.

The past doesn’t stay dead.

While the deaths throw caution to the wind, the plot of Final Destination: Bloodlines may leave you questioning some history. Once again, without any spoilers, the sequel argues a position that has a greater effect on the franchise. The reveal doesn’t wrap itself up so easily; instead, it introduces a few plot holes that will have you trying to fill the gaps yourself. For example, I had an “a-ha!” moment the next day for how I ‘solved’ putting the pieces together.

Casual fans of the franchise may not see this as a huge concern. It’s an answer that establishes itself lightly enough so that new fans to the series can easily get into it. However, for hardcore fans, this plot point may chip away at you with theories until you’re satisfied with whatever answer you’re happy with.

The bottom line.

Final Destination: Bloodlines is a refreshing and exciting sequel that adds new life to this terrifying franchise. Its strong script, mixed with emotional beats and clever humor, creates an interesting cast of characters that you’ll want to follow and root for. The death scenes keep the same magic that Final Destination fans know and love, and it builds upon it with some memorable set pieces. And while certain plot details stretch the believability and answers at times, it doesn’t take away from the film’s overall enjoyment. Final Destination: Bloodlines is a bloody good time!

Final Destination: Bloodlines is now playing in theaters everywhere. Watch the trailer here.

Images courtesy of Eric Milner and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Read more articles by Justin Carreiro here.