The franchise responsible for an array of irrational fears, including but not limited to log trucks, tanning beds, rollercoasters, race tracks, gymnastics, airplanes, bridges, optometrists, swimming pools, escalators, hair salons and so forth is back after over a decade after its previous installation. But how does the latest entry stand within the series known for its visceral affective nature, peppered with punchy gory humour and a delightfully macabre pathos? Well, luckily indeed Final Destination: Bloodlines epitomises everything that fans of the franchise adore, with a few added, unsuspecting surprises.
Bringing ‘death’s plan’ back to screens is the directing duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein who are primarily known for their science-fiction mystery ‘Freaks’ (2018). The pair’s adoration for the rip-roaring chaos of the Final Destination universe was evident from the get-go, with the filmmakers boldly staging a faux ‘freak accident’ during the pitching process, leaving the hoodwinked producers in equal shock, horror and awe. This gusto and bravado continues throughout Bloodlines, with the film capturing that infinitely tense and daunting atmosphere that encompasses what Final Destination is all about.
The juiciest part of any Final Destination film is the nail-bitingly tense and high-pressure opening scene that paves the way for ‘Death’ to work their dark magic. Ensuring that there is no exception to the rule and continuing this legacy is Bloodlines’ opening premonition that is quite the blast, setting up an archway for a storyline that takes us on a journey of a whole generation of people on the run from Death itself. Keeping sparse on the narrative details to keep the impressively plotted story a surprise, it is worth however noting that whilst the beloved formula is kept intact at the roots, Bloodlines exercises plenty of flexibility and intricate mythology twisting methods to create a film that is somehow both nostalgic and horror-homely, but still innovative and remarkably surprising.
The multifaceted puzzle of Death chasing its prey has woven a tapestry of complex webbing’s over the twenty-five years since the release of the first Final Destination film, with the grim reaper becoming a character itself; akin to that of a puppet master. The fable-like quality of Death’s design remains a central element of Bloodlines, which unravels throughout the layered, nuanced gameplay, which thrives alongside the beating heart of any Final Destination film: the salacious, meaty kill scenes that make you wince, shudder and oddly chuckle all at once. Bloodlines is certainly cut from the same cloth as the rest of the series, with the film being bound by the principle of gory mayhem. A nice touch is how the kills do not feel repetitive as the film manages to find a whole new set of ways in which people fall to their demise due to the most mundane, yet sinister bunch of mishaps.
It would be easy for the characters of a Final Destination film to become just feed for the frenzy, forgettable at large, however, bar a few side characters, Bloodlines’ lead performer’s particularly Kaitlyn Santa Juana, who leads the way as the protagonist, gathering clues and answers in a race against time with death, delivers a dramatically killer and memorable performance. Last but not least, Bloodlines marks the final role of the legendary late actor Tony Todd, who passed away late 2024. Todd, who played the mysterious William Bludworth, appearing in every Final Destination entry, is known for his ‘voice-of-God-like’ presence across the series, providing the ominous background for Death’s motivations and actions, with Bludworth often reiterating the terrifying unbeatable nature of the omnipotent antagonist.
Bloodlines is not only a stellar addition to a cherished franchise, but it is also at the top of the league across the films in thanks to its fascinatingly elaborate account of the true horror of mortality and its display of truly epic and gruellingly unforgiving moments of terror.
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