Exactly the same...only a little grosser

Rating: 5/10 (30 January 2005)

Final Destination 1 was one of the only films ever which basic plot-idea made me feel uncomfortable. Not that the film was so mesmerizing or outstanding but simply the idea of a higher force (= death) following you around because your time has come made me somewhat worried. The inevitable sequel to this unexpected little horror-hit has little ambition and practically re-tells the exact same story with different characters (duh!) and even filthier gore. This time, it's a girl (named after horror maestro Roger Corman) who receives a portentous premonition about a horrible road-accident and so saves the life of a group of people that were waiting at the traffic lights. Of course Mr. Grim Reaper isn't about to let them off this easily and the all start dying in ludicrously exaggerated ways (death by flying fence!!). The idiotic theories and added sub-plots are desperate attempts to make the wholesome look at least a little different than the first while the presence of Ali Larter (survivor of the original) is entirely unnecessary. I could also bring up that this film is offensive and contemptuous for portraying death as a simple special effect but I'm not going there because I don't want to give the impression that I totally disliked this film. The shock effects and visuals are astonishing and especially the initial car accident is horrific and very unsettling. The film is completely tensionless and it amazes me how cold and careless everyone's reactions are when yet another person horribly died right in front of their eyes. I can be brief about the acting performances since movies like this simply don't require skilled sense of dialogue. They all do their best, I guess, but it remains Tony "Candyman" Todd who steals the show with his 2 minutes guest appearance. Final Destination 2 is worthy horror viewing as long as you're not in a too demanding mood. Maybe the best way to look at it is picturing it as a morbid version of America's Funniest Home Videos.