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In the 1960s, young Iris Campbell (Brec Bassinger) prevented a deadly disaster at the brand-new Skyview Restaurant Tower after she experiences a premonition of the tall building collapsing and everybody dying, including her boyfriend Paul (Max Lloyd-Jones). Decades later, Iris's granddaughter, Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), experiences a recurring nightmare of Iris's premonition, which affects her academic performance at college. Seeking answers, she returns home to see her father Marty (Tinpo Lee), her younger brother Charlie (Teo Briones), and more of her extended family, including her uncle Howard (Alex Zahara). Learning that her grandmother (now played by Gabrielle Rose) became a recluse who sent alarming letters to the family, Stefani tracks down Iris in a fortified cabin, who warns her granddaughter that Death is coming for their family. Since Iris messed with Death's plan by having children, the Grim Reaper now seeks to eliminate all of Iris's descendants, sparking a series of deadly accidents.
Ditching the long-circulated storyline about first responders that was initially the basis for a sixth Final Destination, Bloodlines is the first movie in the series to do something fresh by travelling back several decades and focusing on a family that should not exist. Naturally, Busick and Taylor's screenplay incorporates a few familiar beats from the series, including characters dismissing warnings about Death coming for them and the way that the ending predictably plays out, but there is only so much that can be done with a Final Destination picture while delivering the content that fans crave. The execution is essential to overcome a formulaic narrative, and Bloodlines gets it right for the most part: the characters are credible, the story flows smoothly, and the film is not tedious or dull between the scenes of guts and gore.
Directors Lipovsky and Stein, who secured the job by staging a freak accident during a Zoom meeting with New Line execs and producers, thankfully show an exceptional flair for set pieces, ensuring that Bloodlines takes care of the franchise's core component. The movie commences on a high note (heh) with the ominous sequence in the incredibly tall Skyview Tower that leaves you unsure about precisely when the inevitable accident will occur. Setting the scene in the 1960s gives it a fresh aesthetic, and the directors carefully build suspense instead of relying on lazy jump scares. (As always, avoid all trailers and previews for the most enjoyable experience - these movies are best consumed when you go in blind.) Miraculously, Bloodlines brings back an element of surprise to the series, cleverly toying with expectations, and Death's design even forces the reveal of a family secret in an uproarious moment. On that note, the movie has a healthy sense of humour, with the elaborate deaths coming across as darkly comedic instead of mean-spirited. Unfortunately, the overtly digital aesthetic does detract a visceral punch from the set pieces, and it is a shame the directors did not opt for more practical effects.
A robust selection of mostly unknown actors gives the film some dramatic heft, with Gabrielle Rose making a particularly good impression as the aging, paranoid Iris. Most recent legacy sequels brought back notable actors from the respective franchises, including Scream and Halloween. However, the Final Destination series lacks that luxury since the actors all die by the end of each instalment. However, this sequel does bring back one notable name in franchise mainstay and genre icon Tony Todd (the iconic Candyman), who reprises his role of William Bludworth for the last time here. Bloodlines is dedicated to the memory of Todd, who featured in almost all of the Final Destination films except 2009's The Final Destination, but nobody really remembers that painfully paint-by-numbers entry. With Todd's recent passing and the context of his appearance here, his scene carries a distinct poignancy, and the script smartly ties his character to Iris, revealing his backstory after twenty-five years of mystery. Todd looks tragically gaunt here, as the actor passed away from stomach cancer mere months after filming, but the creative team ties his condition into the story, giving the character a fitting, bittersweet exit. Reportedly, Todd improvised the character's final lines to speak directly to the fans.
Remarkably, Final Destination: Bloodlines demonstrates that the Final Destination series still has life in it after two decades of Death catching up with those who evaded him. This sequel is the longest instalment in the series to date, clocking in at a hefty 110 minutes (whereas the other entries run 80-95 minutes), but the directors confidently sustain interest throughout the narrative. Despite some silly character behaviour (see one scene involving an MRI machine) and a few predictable story beats, Bloodlines is a highly satisfying watch that does not forget what made the franchise so appealing. The notion of more sequels is surprisingly enticing, as we still do not know why the premonitions happen, and the 1960s setting of the prologue shows that moving the action to another time period has potential. (Rumours of a medieval-era Final Destination movie have persisted for several years.) As long as New Line continues to produce these flicks, I will probably continue to watch them.
7.3/10
