Sleeper

Rating: Null/10 (2 April 2001)

Final Destination(2000) is a very good film that was brutally cut and hurt by the censors. Has its weaknesses including the lame ending. One of the two alternative endings should have been used because the film would have been much better. Inspired by the style of The X Files with the tone of Scream.

The dream sequence during the opening moments are nightmarishly portrayed. The scene where Alex Browning sweats it out and exists the plane only to see the plane blow up in mid air reminds me of a scene in Get Shorty(1995) where there is a similar sitution. What the film says is that you cannot escape your destiny no matter what course of action you take. This was something that was also important in the Lucio Fulci Giallo, Seven Notes in Black(1977).

Final Destination(2000) is in my opinion the best film in the post Scream explosion because there is an attempt at creativity. The special effects in the film are some of the best in late 1990s teen horror films. The death scenes are reminiscent of the glory days of Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and Lucio Fulci. I hope that there will be a director's cut of Final Destination released on DVD just to see how better the film would be.

The death sequence involving the teacher is the highlight of the film. The actors perform decently as the pawns who try to escape death. Final Destination(2000) uses ideas from Don't Look Now(1972), Seven Notes in Black(1977), The Eyes of Laura Mars(1978), & The Dead Zone(1983). Final Destination(2000) was competently directed by X-Files member, James Wong.