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In this column, Zofia Wijaszka reviews forgotten, underrated, and “always worth talking” horror films that deserve a new audience’s attention and post-watch conversation. The Terror Comeback’s goal is to celebrate the horror genre, both genre in the cinema and on television.
Final Destination” Review: James Wong’s Gory Horror on Fate and Tragedy Remains an Intriguing Classic
James Wong’s 2000 horror film, which launched a cult horror franchise, is full of foreshadowing from its opening moments. The director leaves us to wonder about the meaning behind it all, and rewatching Final Destination only makes these presented clues more apparent. Despite receiving a poor rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of its premiere, the film has since gained a more favorable reception, with reviews today often leaning more positive than negative. Regardless of its initial reception, the film stands as an intriguing contribution to the horror genre, exploring themes of fate, destiny, loss, and tragedy.
The story follows Alex (Devon Sawa), a high school student traveling with his class and two teachers to Paris. As he settles into his seat on the plane, Alex has a premonition—a fleeting vision in which the plane explodes shortly after takeoff. After panicking and insisting that everyone deboard, Alex and six other passengers are removed from the flight, only to witness the plane explode moments later, just as he saw. Though they’ve temporarily escaped death, Alex, his best friend Tod (Chad Donella), and classmate Clear (Ali Larter) quickly realize that they were meant to be on that plane, and death will come for them through a series of seemingly random, tragic accidents. One by one, the survivors are killed in ways that suggest that death always has the final say. Alex and his friends must try to break the cycle and save themselves before it’s too late.
I’ll admit I was a latecomer to the Final Destination fan club. I first saw the film just before my first flight to the United States, which probably wasn’t the best choice. Naturally, I was left deeply spooked afterward. There’s something inherently terrifying about films or shows that feature plane crashes—think Lost or Yellowjackets, for example. Perhaps it’s because it’s something so real that it taps into our primal fears. Similarly, in Final Destination, the plane scene is absolutely anxiety-inducing, from Alex boarding the plane and noticing all the small unsettling details, to his vision, and ultimately to Billy (Seann William Scott) witnessing the plane’s very real explosion.
From the beginning, the film plunges us into the mystery surrounding the plane crash and the survivors. The plot thickens when the central characters meet a mysterious mortician named William Bludworth (Tony Todd), who explains Death’s design to them. According to him, those who survive an event they were originally meant to die in are still claimed by Death in a specific order, usually the same as they would have died. This revelation sets the survivors on edge as they try to figure out who will be next, only to find that Death always stays one step ahead.
As expected, the body count in Final Destination is high, with elaborate and gory kill scenes that are impossible to forget. Each death vibrates with tension and suspense, constantly keeping us on the edge of our seats. It’s difficult to pick a favorite kill scene, but the sequence involving one of the teachers, Valerie (Kristen Cloke), stands out as one of the most memorable. We also can’t overlook the bus incident with Terry (Amanda Detmer) or the final scene in Paris with Carter (Kerr Smith).
Naturally, Final Destination requires a suspension of disbelief. We see water defy gravity, physics bend in strange ways, and other improbable moments. But despite all that, the film is still a thrilling ride. The strong ensemble cast—including Sawa, Larter, Smith, and Scott—too makes the viewing experience all the more satisfying. We also can’t forget the standout performance of Tony Todd, whose presence contributes to the film’s eerie atmosphere and prompts deeper reflection on the film’s central themes. Is it true that we sometimes evade death even when it’s our time? Are our paths in life already written, with us simply walking them?
Though Final Destination wasn’t initially appreciated, the 2000 film has since become a cult classic, spawning several sequels. Thanks to the franchise, I now find myself taking extra care when driving near trucks carrying lumber (hello, Final Destination 2!), just in case. Wong’s film remains a gripping and intense experience from start to finish. With Final Destination: Bloodlines slated for release this year, I couldn’t be more excited!
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Grade: B
Final Destination is available for rent, purchase, and streaming platforms.
Final Destination
After a teenager has a terrifying vision of him and his friends dying in a plane crash, he prevents the accident only to have Death hunt them down, one by one.
