The latest in the long-running horror franchise promises fans a return to the darker tone of the original movie.
Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto, TV's Heroes) has a premonition of a bridge collapse that kills himself, his friends and many others. Later, events begin to mirror what he had seen and he attempts to protect his pals - including Miles Fisher (TV's Mad Men) and Emma Bell (TV's The Walking Dead) - away from Death's grip. But these people were supposed to die and what Death wants, Death gets.
It's easier to enjoy a Final Destination sequel than a film from the similarly resilient and death-obsessed Saw franchise, as a sense of creative mischief undercuts all the violence here, while a sense of bland sadism drives the Saw films.
That said, the producers stated after the previous FD movie that they wanted to take the franchise back to its more serious roots for the next film on the reasoning that it had become too jokey. Thankfully, while this fifth entry features one of the series most squirm-inducing set pieces, it's just as light in tone as the previous three films and the most enjoyable since part two, unquestionably the series’ highpoint.
The set piece mentioned above involves laser eye surgery and had me holding my hands over my eyes for the first time since Natalie Portman did horrible things to her cuticles in Black Swan. The suspension bridge disaster is the best opening gambit since part two's motorway pile-up and a gymnastics routine features a notably awesome death scene.
An attempt to add a narrative flourish via the notion that you can suspend your own inevitable death by killing someone else doesn't go anywhere interesting but there's more attention paid to character and plot here than in the paper-thin part four. Leads Nicholas D'Agosto (Election) and Emma Bell (TV’s The Walking Dead) do their jobs without flair, while Tom Cruise-lookalike Miles Fisher is amusing as a cocksure alpha male losing his composure.
There's enough shallow fun in Final Destination 5 to justify yet another entry and it manages to tie into the first film in a moderately amusing way.
By Dominic Corry, Flicks.co.nz
bad
While FD5 is less generic and less facilely goofy and ironic than past series installments, it's still a rote execution of formula that scores its biggest points with self-aware references to its predecessors - including a closing-credits montage of kills from Final Destinations past.
They (fans) know what they enjoy. They don't want no damn movies with damn surprises. I am always pleased when moviegoers have a good time; perhaps they will return to a theater and someday see a good movie by accident, and it will start them thinking.
One stand-out set piece aside, even the presence of a new director can't inject much freshness into the franchise. Time for death to call in sick?
To borrow from TV terminology, the series hasn't jumped the shark yet, but the strain of inventing bizarre deaths is beginning to show.
FD 5 did not raise even a single goose bump - which for a movie that bills itself as horror is not a good thing. The camp factor, however, is high and makes the 95 minutes pretty much fly by.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 1st Sep 2011.
Release date: September 1st 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
