REVIEW: Final Destination (Released in 2000) [20th Anniversary]

DIRECTOR: James Wong

PRODUCERS: Craig Perry & Warren Zide & Glen Morgan

WRITERS: Jeffery Reddick & James Wong & Glen Morgan

PERFORMERS: Devon Sawa Ali Larter Kerr Smith Kristin Cloke Seann William Scott

Amanda Detmer Chad E. Donella Daniel Roebuck Roger Gunveur-Smith and Tony Todd

I was in high school when this film came out. During that time, I was a 17 year old teenager and the one of the major things about the 90's was the teen market of films. Some were dramatic, some were hilarious and some were very frightening. In the 90's there was the horror genre, which got the boost that it needed when the teen slasher classic 'Scream (1996)' was released, not only was it a succesful film but it also revitalized the horror genre for a younger generation of it's time. Born out of that was films like 'I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)' 'Urban Legend (1998)' and then in 2000 out came this film unlike any other horror film ever conceived. If this film proves one thing it's this: horror comes in many shape, sizes and forms.

Final Destination is a very different film from other horror films like the ones mentioned above. How so? It's real simple: it begins and ends on and off airplane and the potential consequences of getting off due to future events that take place later on. A high school senior named Alex Browning (DEVON SAWA) prepares to head on a class trip to Paris with his classmates, then has a very disturbing vision of the plane exploding in mid-air. This prompts him to get off the plane, inadvertently taking several others with him and just as the plane takes off... it does! Several months later the survivors of fate end up being hunted down one by one by death itself and from there, is a roller-coaster ride that doesn't let up! So in this film, you don't have your typical Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers stalker like killers coming to get you.. Instead you have this un-forseen presence and you know it's there but you just can't see it, although it sees you. When these kids end up dealing with death, they forced to question there own beliefs about fate and while they each have there own reasons, Alex on the other is actually the one who sees what happens before it does happen. Sawa's performance is a major part of the film's likability, he brings to the table of uncanny, sharp and wit as the visionary of the show. Reminds me of Joseph from the book of Genesis, what he did was preserve the lives of people who were still in the land. While Alex, in this case experiences one vision after another, is saving the lives of the survivors he is also Joseph in a way, but in a sense that he's trying to stop this malevolent force from claiming their lives. God is mentioned a lot in this, giving it a biblical sense when you think of the word fate. Even while doing that, trying to save himself as well, in one of my favorite scenes he's holed up in a small cabin and he bobby-traps everything in the place and while Death comes for him at one point, is successful at avoiding his fate and even calls out on the deadly force "nice try! But you gotta do better than that!" style. Another thing that makes this movie great is the story outside the struggles. You have the supporting cast and the things that they go through to survive their predicament. From Ali Larter to Kerr Smith and even American Pie alumni Seann William Scott you get a lot of please survive this thing. Tony Todd from Candyman also makes a chilling appearance even if he's in the film for a short brief moment!

There were many real life plane crash disasters that claimed a lot of lives on board such as the one that killed rock 'n roll legends Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper, John Denver, Aaliyah, etc. Even one called the TWA flight 800 that crashed and killed students aboard and also bound for Paris at one point. In a way, this film was a reminder of that particular incident. This also touches on the 'What if' scenario while these characters come to find out their own destiny was being determined by a force beyond their control and the privilege of being in charge of your own life wasn't made available to you anymore. That's really frightening to think about and let's face it, we all want to be in control of our own lives right? At the same time we all know where going to go one day, only we don't know when that will happen, but it will. The fact remains that this was a brilliant premise from the writers of The X-Files phenomena, destiny pre-determined, being hunted by a supernatural presence and trying to escape it. Putting it in the form of a teen horror film and giving it that premise is just genius by itself because by the end of it your left questioning your own destiny. That's what it did for me when I first saw it! I remember coming to school the next day and for several weeks it as all everybody could talk about. One thing I recall most is one of my classmates saying that life is short, and it's true even for us as humans. The writing is beyond excellent, the direction of James Wong was also stunning because up until then, I had never heard of an asian director directing a teen film let alone a horror film. But the fact he was able to pull it off is just incredible by itself. Even the music by the late composer Shirley Walker gets me every time, I'm still waiting for a soundtrack to be released! Along with most of the songs in the film, particularly the one playing during the funeral sequence.

This film has done more than just hold up, it's managed to stand out by itself. Even after 20 years going on, we're still questioning our existence. I'm inclined to believe we all want to see the kingdom of God and to do that we must get right with him. And while all this is true, this also does one other thing that makes it so great and not old: it doesn't take itself too seriously. With the additional humor, witty charms, chemistry between the actors and the practical effects we're enamored with what's happening and why they're happening, why these people must die and what they have to do to avoid it.

“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” - MATTHEW 16:28 NIV

Now these people aren't religious nor righteous, but that's beside the point. Anyone who believes will see the kingdom before they see death and so, what they go through and them seeing heaven is a completely different situation. Can we actually avert something we are meant to be in before it happens? Can we save a life before death comes to claim it? What would you do if you could? And if others were involved in this scenario, how far would you go for them knowing they're fate is coming for them at a certain time? And if it were to pass you up and move on to next victim, how long would it be before it catches up with you? Even today these questions still hold up, with today's times we are actually drawn right back to them and they crazy thing is this: What will happen if I don't do this or that?

To Conclude, Final Destination is a film I can watch over and over and still get terrified by it every time I do. I may have seen it by myself at a theater but that was what made it worth while. It spawned several sequels, raised awareness for travel safety amongst other things, but all the while continued the horror genre aimed at the teen market and gave birth to a different kind of cult following. After the 9/11 attack, which happened a year after this film came out, I was afraid to ride on a plane for a long time and I was left thinking 'what if that happened to me' and then when I worked up the nerve to fly again, all that disappeared and since then have been flying on planes to travel and still do. Hopefully writing this review does not resolve in my death but rather my continued living. Having a film like this as it is, this is when studios like New Line Cinema knew their stuff and who would have guessed that starting in 2001, their next project was going to become a mega successful trilogy of films soon to go down in the film history books? All in all, great film to watch when in the mood for a supernatural thriller or on Halloween which I always like. Talk about prediction of the future. Here's to 20 years of Final Destination! #filmsof2000 #finaldestination20 #fd20 #filmreviews #anniversaryreviews