FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES and the Fond Farewell

FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES (Blu-ray)

2025 / 110 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

I’ve always loved the Final Destination series. With the exception of the fourth film (which remains a dumpster fire), it has been a remarkably consistent horror franchise. None of the movies would ever be mistaken for high art, but they’re slickly assembled, generally well acted and effortlessly exploit our worst fears regarding untimely death.

There’s also genuine creativity behind the films’ elaborate, Rube Goldberg-inspired death scenes, where the suspense doesn’t lie in whether or not a particular character will die, but how badly they will die. But even from a purely narrative standpoint, there’s often an earnest effort to throw new ideas into the premise, such as the knockout twist at the end of Final Destination 5, which has you rethinking the entire franchise.

The plot of Final Destination Bloodlines is even more ambitious. As with the other films, it begins with a spectacular disaster sequence that turns out to be a vision by one of the characters. In this case, it’s the grand opening of a Space Needle-type restaurant. Young and pregnant Iris, whose boyfriend just proposed to her, sees the structure catch fire and collapse, killing everyone, including herself. But she intervenes, stopping Death’s plan.

But unlike the other films, this prologue takes place in 1968 and is experienced decades later by Iris’ granddaughter, Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), as a recurring nightmare. To the rest of the family, Grandma Iris is simply a reclusive, crazy old lady they don’t want to talk about. But when her uncle suddenly dies (horribly, of course), Stefani realizes that not only should Iris and hundreds of people have died decades ago, none of their subsequent kids or grandchildren should even exist. And over the years, Death has come for all of them…until all that’s left is Iris, her family and one other little boy whom she saved.

Don't mess with UPS.

Though the film certainly gives the viewer plenty of the gleefully gory kills we’ve come to expect (the MRI death is my personal favorite), the story is clever and compelling, with some pretty cool twists along the way. Some of the secondary characters are kind of static and bland, but Stefani makes an engaging protagonist, as does Darlene (Rya Kihlstedt), her estranged mother who arrives after abandoning the family years earlier (for good reason).

Then of course, there’s the late, great Tony Todd, returning for one last go ‘round as creepy coroner Bludworth. While his character figures more prominently in the story (I won’t say how), his job is still mainly exposition. But this time, because he’s noticeably sick (and well-aware his time was short during production), his appearance adds a layer of poignancy that’s pretty affecting. When Bludworth talks about making the most of the time one has left, it could just as easily be Todd speaking to us. Either way, it's a fitting send-off.

Whether or not Bloodlines ends up being the last Final Destination film remains to be seen. Since it was the biggest critical and commercial hit in the entire franchise, I kind of doubt it. But if so, the series - and Tony Todd - are certainly going out on a high note. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Death Becomes Them: On the Set with Final Destination Bloodlines features interviews with the directors and some of the cast, along with behind-the-scenes footage; The Many Deaths of Bloodlines is exactly what you think it is; The Legacy of Bludworth is an affectionate appreciation for the late Tony Todd, who’s featured as well.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By directors Adam Stein and Zach Lipovski.

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