‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ Review – Death Runs In The Family, And So Do Average Sequels
Final Destination: Bloodlines is now in theaters, but even before it was released, we all knew it had one thing going for it: the last appearance of the inimitable and wickedly talented Tony Todd. It also has the most prominent role for Brec Bassinger post-Stargirl, for those interested, but the question of what else this sequel has to offer arises beyond those two things.
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Furthermore, Todd is barely in it, sad to say, and although Bassinger has more screen time and a more pivotal role, her presence is limited to the catalyst in the flashbacks, as shown in the trailer. Already, this movie is hobbled by its virtual lack of its two selling points, aside from sequel bait. There’s slack to pick up, but how’s it done?
Bloodlines begins at a restaurant/concert venue called The Sky View (a stand-in for the Seattle Space Needle that’s totally not meant to be the Space Needle, except it is). It’s 1968, and Iris Campbell (Bassinger) is there with her soon-to-be-fiancé, Paul (Max Lloyd-Jones), when the whole place is ready to crumble to the ground because of an annoying kid and a penny, among other engineering flaws.
Everyone, including Iris and Paul, dies; or they would have if Iris hadn’t heeded what turned out to be a premonition. You know the setup, so it’s patently obvious this is what happens. However, what the trailer doesn’t give away is that Iris isn’t the only one seeing her vision.
The big mega-death scene, and its chaos, most of us came for occurs in the very beginning, and we find out it’s a nightmare Iris’s granddaughter Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) has been suffering through nightly for a while. Stef goes home from college to reconnect with her family, put the pieces together, and also track down her grandma (Gabrielle Rose), who has aged into a reclusive nutjob no one talks to anymore.
In her old age, Iris lives in the middle of nowhere in a fortified and foreboding prepper cabin that looks like it belongs on a stretch of Fury Road. Cautious of Death, and constantly outsmarting it, she never leaves. However, she wants Stefani to know she’s not crazy, so Iris brutally sacrifices herself to hopefully save everyone again. From there, the game of death is on (minus Bruce Lee, of course).
It’s been 15 years since Final Destination 5, and 25 (I know, we’re all getting old) since the first – and still most groundbreaking – one. So Bloodlines should be able to satisfy any itching nostalgia for the series at the right time. It’s a return to formula, which isn’t that hard, and adds a family curse element that doesn’t bog down or overcomplicate things the way you might expect. There are a few more twists, but not as many moving parts as previous entries.
The focus stays on one family when it could easily go in several different directions and pad time by introducing more and more throwaway characters that bite the dust. However, that’s the good news. The problem is the movie sticks us with a lead, in an ersatz Psycho or Scream (1996) move, that isn’t as interesting as the people around her. Try as Kaitlyn Santa Juana might, Stefani is nondescript and two-dimensional compared to either young or old Iris.
She also gets outshone by Richard Harmon, who plays her cousin. Anyone who knows him from his Leo Award-winning turns in The 100 and Continuum knows the guy can hold his own, which he does here with gusto as he figures into the most memorable death scenes. Harmon also has the honor of sharing the screen with Tony Todd in his last appearance ever, which amounts to a cameo.
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It’s not much, but Todd steals every second, ravaged as he was by cancer that took him from us too soon. I was reminded of Raul Julia, who looked as frail as Todd in Street Fighter back in ‘94 when Todd was between Candyman movies. Neither man sold it, and gave everything they could in their last performance.
Todd’s character doesn’t get killed off and is allowed to go out with dignity, although it’s revealed that his ominous undertaker persona, Bludworth, is slowly dying like the man himself. He even eulogizes himself, and Bludworth, in a poignant ad-lib that’s already becoming a meme. That’s one of the few high points this film will be remembered for fondly.
Bloodlines tries to give Final Destination fans a few treats and fun callbacks, making up for the last two sequels. However, the average moviegoer won’t think much of the carnage, the poor CGI, or the acting. They should use the time they have wisely by steering clear. In their defense, this one doesn’t measure up to the original anyway.
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Final Destination: Bloodlines
PROS
- Tony Todd has one scene, but makes the most out of it
- Easily the best sequel since the third one
- Surprisingly good performances from Brec Bassinger and Richard Harmon
- Inventive kills
CONS
- Bad CGI
- Most of the cast isn't great
- Bland, uninteresting lead
- Won't measure up to the original in the long run
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