Final Destination 5

While it was not a great or perfect film (particularly in the dialogue, ending and some of the acting), the first 'Final Destination' was entertaining and effective (especially with its terrific opening plane sequence and the creative deaths) with a fascinating idea done well.

The bigger and bolder 'Final Destination 2' had its flaws but was just as good and perhaps the best of the four sequels. 'Final Destination 3' is just as big and bold, as well as gorier, and is also as good. 'The Final Destination' was however a big disappointment, easily the series' worst and to me the only bad film in the series. After wearing off and becoming stale in 'The Final Destination', despite the more of the same structure, 'Final Destination 5' shows the novelty returning and being refreshed and refined. It's as good as the previous three and a huge improvement over 'The Final Destination'.

'Final Destination 5' isn't perfect. The down-time and exposition between the deaths is turgid and clumsily written, saying very little interesting.

Characters are as shallow as to be expected, the dialogue is just as flimsy and the effects look pretty cheap.

However, the opening bridge scene is spectacular and perhaps the best opening of the series. The ending is also the series' cleverest, the only truly shocking one and the least illogical and contrived. The story has more time to develop and while it uses the time it does it in a way that makes everything as tight as possible. Really enjoyed the interesting new plot rule that allows the tension and thrills to register strongly.

Standing out in particular are the deaths. They are very scary, very inventive in terms of being bold and elaborate and surprisingly witty. They are also quite gory, but not gratuitously so or in a way where it's overused and abused. The laser-eye surgery and acupuncture ones are especially well done.

Visually, 'Final Destination 5' is atmospheric and stylish. The music is suitably eerie and the direction shows a grasp and understanding of the genre and the ability to breathe life and freshness to a formula that should have been fatigued by now. In the acting stakes, it fares favourably too.

On the whole, good fun. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This movie will surprise you because after the disappointment of the last few movies in this franchise I had very low expectations for this film but happily for me it was dark back to the roots of the original with a great twist ending which will leave you wanting to see part 1 all over again

Most likely, you're not reading this unless you're a fan and already plan to see the film. And if you are, then know that my review is based on my fandom and in relation to the series itself. Therefore, it will be in the context of horror films, slasher films, and more importantly, the series itself. With that out of the way, who would have though the fifth film would be the one. Ever since the original, the series has sort of meandered around, trying to recapture the initial wonder of death playing the part of a slasher and killing off a group of people.

Yes, Final Destination 5 is truly the best sequel since the first. There hasn't been this much tension and creativity since the original, and practically every scene is filled with an uncomfortable level of anxiety. This is what the film has truly been missing, whether spoiled by the trailers before it or just a lack of creativity. For the most part, Final Destination 3 and 4 (TFD) lacked the necessary level of creativity and menace that was present in the first film, and even in the second. However, we have plenty of that here and a few nice twists as well. While the kills are also pretty ridiculous, most are plausible and, unlike TFD, should please fans with their level of gore and brutality.

The filmmaking qualities here reach above the standard the film has set. It looks great, with plenty of swift and enticing editing that will make your skin crawl with anticipation. The acting, while still not of any award winning caliber, or even really all that great, is decent enough here. The portrayals are more realistic this time around. While the film had though to settle into the I-found-the-answers-on-the-internet routine, here we have a smooth flow in which characters sort of lose their mind trying to figure things out. And while some might have called the main couple's relationship cringe worthy, I actually found it to be quite well played out as the couple has real issues they work through on top of everything that's going on. Suffice to say, it's nice to see the FD series making better attempts at developing it's characters. Still not great, but better.

With that said, this is Final Destination, and problems persist. Despite better attempts at character development, the majority still play fodder for death's machinations. Sure, we learn a little about them, but it's not any more than the bare minimum: this guys a jerk, that girls wild, etc etc. There is also one kill, in particular, that, while brutal, defies logic. Sure, it's FD, but there is a certain point of ridiculousness where the line is drawn. The characters trying to figure out what's going on is also getting old. There's certainly a reason here, which I won't spoil, why our characters don't know about what is happening in the same way characters from previous films know. But this leads to the problem of it being explained too quickly. This might contradict what I said above, but what I mean is that Tony Todd's character if far too quick to reveal information and the new twist. In comparison to FD1, where things had a slow, natural pacing, here we get a couple death scenes, and explanation, and then more death scenes. The progression is better, but still not as good as the first two films.

Fans will truly enjoy this solid sequel. There are a couple twists, and the final scene will blow everyone away. It's beyond what you would expect, and very nearly worth seeing the film alone. But with a handful of creative and brutal twists and a decently put together film, this should certainly warrant a decent box office and, maybe unfortunately, another sequel or two.

The Presage Paper employees take a bus to spend the day in a retreat. Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto) is an aspirant chef and his girlfriend Molly (Emma Bell) has just ended their relationship, since he intends to take an internship in culinary art in France. While crossing a suspension- bridge that is in maintenance, Sam has a vision where everybody in the bus including him dies after the bridge collapsing. Sam asks the driver to open the door and he leaves the bus with Molly.

His friend Peter Friedkin (Miles Fisher) and his girlfriend Candice Hooper (Ellen Wroe) follow Sam and Molly asking them to return to the bus. Olivia Castle (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), Isaac Palmer (P.J. Byrne), Nathan (Arlen Escarpeta) and their boss Dennis Lapman (David Koechner ) also leave the bus. When the bridge collapses, they all do not die. The Federal Agent Jim Block (Courtney B. Vance) suspects of Sam, but sooner he receives the technical report concluding that the bridge collapsed due to natural causes (wind).

During the funeral of their friends, a creepy man tells to Sam that death does not like to be cheated. Sooner Candice, Isaac and Olivia die in a stranger way and Sam recalls that the survivors are dying in the sequence that they had originally died. The next victim would be Nathan, but he accidentally causes the death of the rebel worker Roy. The survivors learn that if they trade spots with another victim, they receive the years left in the live of the victim.

When I see the franchise "Final Destination, I know exactly what I am going to see: a group of teenagers escaping from death in a first moment and then death chases each one of them since the storyline is always the same.

"Final Destination 5" has excellent CGI and very creative deaths and never disappoints; therefore the intention of the director is accomplished. The sequence with the collapse of the bridge is very impressive. The acting is also good and in the end I liked this film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Premonição 5" ("Premonition 5")

I'm a huge fan of the Final Destination series. They aren't Oscar contenders, but they are certainly quite entertaining. However, after hearing a lot of negative feedback on the 4th FD, I decided not to watch it and hung my head in disappointment. I genuinely thought my favorite deadly franchise had finally bit the dust itself, and in a bad way. But when I heard about this fifth and final Final Destination, I decided to give it one more chance. Because hey, I hadn't been to the theater in awhile and if it sucked I'd at least have a good laugh. But, I am very happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised by Final Destination 5.

The story, as other reviewers have mentioned, really sets FD5 up to good prospects. It feels a lot more like the first FD, much darker without being too complex. I honestly liked the 2nd and 3rd ones a lot, but they were missing the creepy factor that the first installment had. This fifth episode really brings it back. The characters are surprisingly believable. Granted, you have the gratuitous hot chick and ladies man, but the characters never feel contrived or forced. Kudos to the actors for keeping this from being a $5-bin campy horror film.

The effects, even in 2D, were just as I think a film's effects should be: realistic enough to avoid the fake-factor, but not so excessive that they drown out everything else in the film. Yes, one could argue that these movies are all about death, but what always made them different for me from other horrors was the focus on build-up. The FD franchise has it's fans trained to watch for every little thing in a scene that could cause someone's demise until your skin crawls--and FD5 gives the audience this "detective" feeling perfectly.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of this movie. However, from the very beginning, I was impressed. A few points of warning: it is very graphic, but anyone who has seen any of the other FD films should know that already. Also, you will not enjoy this film as much if you haven't watched at least the 1st FD, if not the 2nd and 3rd as well. When you factor in the story and characters, the death and mayhem we've all come to love, and one of the best plot twists I've seen this year, FD5 is very worth watching. Go on, have some fun.

But you all just be careful, now. ;)