Top-notch horror

Rating: 9/10 (20 April 2000)

I managed to see FINAL DESTINATION on a recent trip to America and I had high expectations as I had heard the premise and I was intrigued by the possibility of a horror film with an enemy that was impossible escaping from, Death. The film starts with a cracking opener. Alex Browning is (Sawa) about to take a flight to Paris with his school. He has an horrific premonition where the plane explodes mid-air, killing everyone on board. He then wakes and is desperate to get off. Him and a couple of others, including a teacher, get thrown off the plane. As they are waiting at the airport they witness what Alex feared would come true. Soon after this, they soon start dying in mysterious and gruesome circumstances. The death scenes are highly inventive and much more violent than anything SCREAM or URBAN LEGEND could come up with. The film lets you down in one respect as you hope after the opening scene, the film would be a mysterious thriller. All you realise it is used for is a gimmick for a teen slasher movie, without a slasher. But, compared to other teen slasher flicks, FINAL DESTINATION stands head above its peers. The acting is surprisingly great (LARTER is definitely one to watch), the pace is breakneck, the film is well shot and there are some genuine shocks. Think SAMUEL L's nasty surprise in DEEP BLUE SEA. Plus there is a great cliffhanger final scene. An added bonus is the film's non-Hollywood style. The slogan, You Can't Cheat Death is wonderfully cynical and no character, despite their place in the credits is above a gruesome execution. All, in all FINAL DESTINATION is a great teen horror film. Nothing more, nothing less.