Loved it, but doubtful about the film's long-term merits

Rating: 6/10 (29 September 2000)

As an joltingly-directed, suspense-driven thriller in the post-"Scream" vein, "Final Destination" more than hits the spot.
Director James Wong has fashioned a genuinely entertaining and superbly scary horror film which pays a genre-literate, affectionate tribute to classic horror directors (Keep an eye and ear out for the character names) and delivers more than enough 'Jump-out-of-your-seat' moments, to thrill on the most visceral levels that horror films live or die by.
The cast of young up-and-comers are by and large excellent, though particular mention has to be made for lead, Devon Sawa, whose character reacts to the on-screen mayhem by essentially being as panic-stricken and prone to jumpy as any cinema audience watching this film must have been.
Full marks, too, for some grand standingly-bloody and spectacularly inventive set-pieces, which recall nothing so much as Dario Argento gone Hollywood and presented with a studio budget.
Simply put, I can't wait to see James Wong's next film.