Support Us
Sign Up
Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein (Freaks), Final Destination: Bloodlines marks the first installment in the franchise since 2011. Final Destination 5 provided some franchise-best kills and a commendable twist, meaning fans have been anticipating deaths return since it was first announced. This time around, we’re following college student Stephanie (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), who is being plagued by a violent nightmare, so she heads home to track down the one family member who may be able to break the cycle and save their family from a grisly demise. With a great new cast of characters, applaud-worthy and inventive kills, and just the right amount of story, Final Destination: Bloodlines is not only a worthy addition to the franchise but one of the best ones.
Final Destination: Bloodlines Review – Inventive Kills, Franchise Nostalgia, and a Gruesome New Chapter
As the title suggests, Bloodlines takes us back to the start, featuring a premonition that threatens to doom an entire family. We follow Iris in the 60’s, as she attends the opening of Skyview Restaurant Tower and manages to prevent her own death due to anticipating the tower’s collapse. This, therefore, means that Iris’s children, grandchildren, and entire bloodline are not meant to exist, so death has a lot of cleaning up to do. When the family learn of their upcoming demise, despite finding it hard to believe, figuring out who is next and preventing the inevitable becomes a priority for them. Although this brings the latest installment of the franchise into familiar territory, as it follows the same pattern as most before it, it’s as fun as ever. The script is witty and often hilarious, the kills are frequent enough to entertain, and even though we know that most of our characters will meet a rough end by the time the credits roll, they’re developed enough for us to care about them and root for them regardless. Family secrets are revealed when certain characters manage to avoid death, previous entries are paid homage to, and there’s plenty in here to keep the audience on their toes. This is a story worth telling.
Due to the nature of the story, most Final Destination flicks feature an entire cast of new characters, and Bloodlines may just boast some of the most likable since the original. Kaitlyn Santa Juana’s turn as Stephanie is excellent, bringing this competent yet troubled character to life with ease. Due to her determination and curiosity, Stephanie is a great lead to follow, with Juana being entirely believable at all times and instantly becoming a talent to keep an eye on. Richard Harmon (Grave Encounters 2) manages to steal the limelight in the role of tattooist and piercer Erik, due to his innate ability to deliver both the humor and horror with ease. Exceptional comedic timing and hilarious reactions to the events may just make Erik a franchise standout, let alone a Bloodlines favourite. Of course, the most memorable turn here is delivered by the late Tony Todd (Candyman), whose emotional dialogue mimics reality in a heartbreaking yet satisfying way. The beating heart of both the franchise and the horror genre as a whole, it really did feel like his way of saying goodbye, and is worth watching for that alone. Teo Brines (Chucky) also gives a notable performance.
All of the above is just an added bonus, as there’s one thing audiences are here for – the kills. Final Destination: Bloodlines proves that there is plenty of gas left in the tank, as the deaths are not only grisly and gruesome but highly inventive. MRI machines, skyscrapers, lawn mowers, and trash compactors are just a few of the gnarly ways our characters meet their demise, and each one is as entertaining and memorable as the last. It may seem that the trailers and marketing spoiled a lot of the murder methods, but that’s not quite the case, as it manages to throw in many twists and turns that they did a good job of concealing. The best bits are definitely left for the movie, and there’s plenty in here to enjoy that you haven’t seen before. If not famous for its kills, this horror franchise is very well known for its opening sequences featuring our lead character having a premonition and avoiding death. Iris and Skyview Restaurant Tower is a beautiful addition to the franchise, not only adding an important nod to the Final Destination lore, but proving they still have new ways to inflict disaster. Playing out for a large portion of the run-time to thoroughly entertain, it might not beat the plane explosion of the original or the rollercoaster derailment of the third, but it certainly holds its own.
There are times when Final Destination: Bloodlines feels repetitive. Much of the dialogue is corny, and the last five minutes prove a little bit underdeveloped and tiresome. However, it proves itself as a worthy addition to the cult classic franchise, regardless of its shortcomings, as there is plenty in here to love. The deaths are cool and fresh, the characters fleshed out and likable, and whether the run-time is spent ending our characters’ lives, filling out the lore, paying homage to prior characters and kills, or developing our group of teens, it is always entertaining and time well spent. Fitting in with the other five movies perfectly by emitting the same tone but adding something fresh and exciting, Final Destination: Bloodlines is bound to be a win for many fans.
Grade: B
Follow us on MSN for more content like this.
Final Destination: Bloodlines
Tormented By A Recurring Violent Nightmare, College Student Stefanie Returns Home To Find The One Person Who Can Break The Cycle And Save Her Family From The Horrible Fate That Inevitably Awaits Them.
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Director: Zach Lipovsky Adam B. Stein
Cast: Kaitlyn Santa Juana , Teo Briones , Richard Harmon
