‘The Final Destination’ Embraced the Early Aughts 3D Trend and Dialed Up the Silliness
The 3D resurgence of the early aughts had Hollywood in a vice grip thanks to advances in technology, and, by 2009, horror began to embrace the format in a big way. That included the fourth installment of the Final Destination franchise, The Final Destination. The success of Final Destination 3 meant a sequel was inevitable, […]
The 3D resurgence of the early aughts had Hollywood in a vice grip thanks to advances in technology, and, by 2009, horror began to embrace the format in a big way. That included the fourth installment of the Final Destination franchise, The Final Destination.
The success of Final Destination 3 meant a sequel was inevitable, this one planned for 3D. Final Destination 2 scribe Eric Bress and director David R. Ellis returned, with the latter taking the helm because of the 3D. The sequel makes full use of its 3D, incorporating requisite CGI jump scares of flying car parts and viscera leaping out of the screen, which, in turn, dates this entry more quickly than its counterparts.
Not helping is that this sequel puts all its eggs in the baskets of 3D gimmicks and embellishing Death’s morbid sense of humor; The Final Destination dials up the puerile humor with its more expansive deaths, aiming for revulsion along with raucous gore – it’s not the blood splatter that’ll test your lunch but an extreme closeup with gnarly sound foley of a toenail cleaning.
Perhaps surprisingly, considering its maligned reputation, the fourth Final Destination still holds the mantle as the highest grossing of the franchise.
In anticipation of the sixth installment, Final Destination Bloodlines, we’re retracing Death’s steps to examine the established lore, formula, and, of course, the standout kills from the series, with The Final Destination getting the solo spotlight today.
The Inciting Disaster
