"Final Destination 5" adheres pretty closely to the formula established in the previous four films. Character A, in this case aspiring chef Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto, 'Gotham'), has a horrifying vision of a major catastrophe, and he and assorted others (who died during the vision) are frightened when they escape and witness the catastrophe actually taking place. They spend the rest of the film dying off in spectacular fashion, because as omnipresent coroner Bludworth (Tony "Candyman" Todd) likes to put it, "Death doesn't like to be cheated." They also have to wonder if it's at all possible to avoid what seems to be inevitable.
This series still continues to be perversely entertaining in its over the top depictions of ultra-elaborate death set pieces, and the resulting cartoonish gore. It still plays that way at times, but at least writer Eric Heisserer (the "Thing" prequel) and director Steven Quale, the latter making his fictional feature debut, give us enough story and enough character detail to make our intended victims worth watching. They also make sure to give us little moments of foreshadowing that will pay off very soon. The filmmaking is slick, and the wholesale destruction of human bodies consistently offers amusement. One undeniable highlight is a case of laser eye surgery gone horribly wrong.
Where this offers some truly interesting wrinkles is when: A) Peter Friedkin (Tom Cruise lookalike Miles Fisher, "J. Edgar") thinks he has a handle on solving his problem, and B) the denouement where events take a very circular turn. It rather reminded this viewer of the way the writers of the "Saw" sequels would go out of their way to tie events & characters together. But this was fairly clever, and appreciated.
The cast is personable. D'Agosto and Emma Bell ('The Walking Dead') as his sweetie are likeable, P.J. Byrne ("The Wolf of Wall Street") is a hoot as an uber-sleazy moron, Arlen Escarpeta (the "Friday the 13th" reboot) is engaging, and there are also roles for veterans David Koechner ("Anchorman") and Courtney B. Vance ('Law & Order: Criminal Intent'), the latter playing an appropriately befuddled Federal agent.
A reel of highlights from all the previous films precedes the end credits, and one has to feel that this fifth entry does provide a sense of closure...unless, of course, some producer or suit decides to resurrect the series at some point.
Seven out of 10.
This series still continues to be perversely entertaining in its over the top depictions of ultra-elaborate death set pieces, and the resulting cartoonish gore. It still plays that way at times, but at least writer Eric Heisserer (the "Thing" prequel) and director Steven Quale, the latter making his fictional feature debut, give us enough story and enough character detail to make our intended victims worth watching. They also make sure to give us little moments of foreshadowing that will pay off very soon. The filmmaking is slick, and the wholesale destruction of human bodies consistently offers amusement. One undeniable highlight is a case of laser eye surgery gone horribly wrong.
Where this offers some truly interesting wrinkles is when: A) Peter Friedkin (Tom Cruise lookalike Miles Fisher, "J. Edgar") thinks he has a handle on solving his problem, and B) the denouement where events take a very circular turn. It rather reminded this viewer of the way the writers of the "Saw" sequels would go out of their way to tie events & characters together. But this was fairly clever, and appreciated.
The cast is personable. D'Agosto and Emma Bell ('The Walking Dead') as his sweetie are likeable, P.J. Byrne ("The Wolf of Wall Street") is a hoot as an uber-sleazy moron, Arlen Escarpeta (the "Friday the 13th" reboot) is engaging, and there are also roles for veterans David Koechner ("Anchorman") and Courtney B. Vance ('Law & Order: Criminal Intent'), the latter playing an appropriately befuddled Federal agent.
A reel of highlights from all the previous films precedes the end credits, and one has to feel that this fifth entry does provide a sense of closure...unless, of course, some producer or suit decides to resurrect the series at some point.
Seven out of 10.