The Final Destination franchise took a long break after the release of the fifth film back in 2011. For me, that was one of the best in the series and it brought things around full circle. If we never got a sixth film, I would have been more than fine. Hollywood doesn’t work like that though. Horror franchises are always being brought back. We can’t blame the studios, they want to make money and for the most part, horror is cheap and can turn a profit swiftly. This year’s Final Destination: Bloodlines grossed $285 million on a $50 million budget (a costly production for a horror film). Not a surprise though, considering how many elaborate effects are on display. The opening sequence is without question, the franchises most impressive. I am sure most fans of the series did not leave the theater disappointed, because directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, made sure to give the audience just what they were hoping for. This week, Final Destination: Bloodlines arrives on 4K UHD.
The film begins in 1968, when a young couple, Iris (Brec Bassinger) and Paul (Max Lloyd-Jones) attend the grand opening of the Sky View Tower, which has a fancy restaurant on top, overlooking the city. We learn in the elevator on the way up that the construction was finished way ahead of schedule. (That’s not a good thing here). This is one of the franchises’ most visually stunning set pieces and as we follow the couple around, we can see all the things that could possibly go wrong. Trust me when I say, so many more things happen that my mind couldn’t have predicted. Needless to say, the tower collapses and takes everyone out in the process.
We cut to present day, where we see college student Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) having recurring nightmares of her maternal grandparent’s death (Iris and Paul from the film’s opening). What’s weird is that the Sky View tower tragedy never actually happened. The tower was demolished before the unfortunate events could happen. This leads Stafani to return home and pay her cousins a visit. She wants answers. Why is she having dreams of what happened with her grandparents? Naturally, her family thinks she is losing her mind, but when the reality of what’s actually happening becomes apparent to everyone and people start dropping off, one-by-one, they have no choice but to listen to Stafani.
I don’t want to go into more detail about the story, because the fun of the Final Destination series, especially this newest installment, is discovering things as they happen, especially the intricate death scenes. The late Tony Todd gets some satisfying closure for his character, who has been part of the franchise since the first film twenty-five years ago.
The 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision/HDR10 looks incredible. The Sky View tower looks stunning and so does the fire that engulfs it during the opening death sequence. The Dolby Atmos mix also brings out the blasts. From the explosions to the wrecks, to the hydraulics on a garbage truck. The effects really come alive. If you are a fan, I highly recommend grabbing this release.
Special Features:
- Death Becomes Them: On the Set of “Final Destination Bloodlines” – featurette
- Catch up with the fresh new cast and dynamic directing duo of “Final Destinations Bloodlines” to hear about their experiences on set and what fun surprises they managed to sneak in for the fans.
- The Many Deaths of Bloodlines – featurette
- From the collapse of the Skyview Restaurant to the world’s worst MRI, get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the most gruesome Final Destination deaths yet!
- The Legacy of Bludworth – featurette
- Tony Todd reflects on the decades-spanning legacy of his iconic character and re-examines Bludworth’s impact on the franchise now that all has been revealed.
- Director’s Commentary
- Commentary by the film’s directors Adam Stein & Zach Lipovsky
By: Marc Ferman
