Movies

After ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines,’ you’ll never look at a septum piercing the same ever again

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As a movie enthusiast, I vividly recall the chilling premiere of “Final Destination” series in the year 2000, just as the millennium was dawning. This franchise had an uncanny knack for instilling quite specific fears into our millennial hearts, such as lumber trucks, airplane tray tables (my friend still scrutinizes hers before every flight), lawn mowers, shower curtains, and roller coasters.

In contrast to other popular teen horror series of the late ’90s that typically featured a knife-wielding antagonist, “Final Destination” distinguished itself through its unique approach. Instead of a traditional killer, it creatively depicted how ordinary items could be transformed into deadly Rube Goldberg contraptions, triggered by carelessness or random occurrences.

Death seemed to manifest in the lives of these characters as if guided by an invisible power source. The bizarre and brutal nature of their deaths led people to speculate that they had somehow cheated fate through a vivid premonition. In the universe of “Final Destination,” death is relentless, acting like a vengeful deity.

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The original five-film series ran from 2000 to 2011, covering significant events like the Y2K scare, 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and two presidencies of George W. Bush. In a time that seemed chaotic and increasingly violent, “Final Destination” intensified those feelings, possibly providing an unusual form of emotional release through its exaggeration of life’s and death’s terrifying randomness. Given the recent global pandemic, worsening climate crisis, and constant stream of war and suffering on smartphones, it’s plausible that this franchise could find a new audience. Additionally, studios often appreciate a reliable piece of nostalgic intellectual property.

The movie ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ reflects our shared concerns about death, mortality, and the illusion of control over such events. However, as a spoiler alert, it’s crucial to understand that we cannot control death. In the initial installment, Devon Sawa portrayed Alex, a character with psychic abilities whose nightmare sparked this chain of violent occurrences. In ‘Bloodlines,’ Stefani Reyes (played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana) takes on the role of the dreamer. Her nightmares are causing academic struggles, and her roommate urges her to return home to uncover the reasons behind these terrors, in the hope that she can get some rest.

Every night, Stef is haunted by a recurring dream: the chilling collapse of the Skyview Hotel in 1968, focusing on a young woman named Iris (played by Brec Bassinger). This Iris, who disregards her gut feeling about taking that extremely high elevator, is actually Stefani’s grandmother. Living secluded in a remote, fortified compound reminiscent of the Unabomber’s hideout, she has become a paranoid recluse. Upon Stef’s visit, her grandmother realizes Stef possesses psychic abilities and shares decades worth of research, a burden that could potentially drive anyone insane.

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Bloodlines”

Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, with a script by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor (who co-developed the story with Jon Watts), this film pays homage to “Final Destination” in an impressive manner that its predecessors would appreciate. It employs a unique structure based on a family tree death order, seamlessly tying the Skyview Hotel incident to the series of unfortunate events currently affecting Stefani and her relatives.

The connection to past films is subtly established through the late, revered actor Tony Todd, who reprised his role as a knowledgeable coroner prior to his passing in November. His character offers guidance to our protagonists, desperate to prevent their inevitable fate.

In “Bloodlines”, the characters are skillfully developed, however, it’s important to note that the film truly shines through its extravagant death scenes. These scenes, crafted by Lipovsky and Stein, have been taken to new heights. One scene features a backyard barbecue filled with potential dangers, while another masterfully executed sequence takes place in a tattoo shop, complete with a spinning ceiling fan, a skull bobblehead, and a septum piercing. The opening Skyview nightmare is particularly impressive for its 1960s aesthetic, frenetic energy, and grandeur.

1. Sabrina Pitre masterfully arranges each scene, creating a flawless beat and flow in the editing process.

2. There’s an unusual fluidity to Christian Sebaldt’s cinematography, but the unsettling realism of depicting physical destruction is intriguing. The use of artificial elements adds a sense of comfort.

In “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” existential questions, philosophical dilemmas, and mental health issues can be found if one looks closely, but the movie primarily delights in the excessively gory, entertaining violence that’s signature to the series. The death traps are so outlandishly extreme that they leave you seeking deeper meaning amidst a world intent on causing harm.

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2025-05-16 13:31

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