Review: 'Final Destination 5' Delivers Major 3D Scares

By Michael Lopez

We know what you're thinking, usually the fifth installment in a horror series has very little thought and originality. Whether it's a Saw movie or Friday The 13th, by the time number five rolls around you can pretty much predict every gruesome scene. Final Destination 5, on the other hand, actually breaks that rule, breathing new life into the franchise with a witty plot and some excellent 3D effects.

Though movie fans may not immediately recognize the name of director Steven Quale, nearly everyone has seen his work. His groundbreaking cinematography has been used in films like Terminator 2 and Titanic. Not only that, his contributions to Avatar helped break new ground for the 3D format and it shows in FD 5.

From the moment the first blade gets thrust toward your oversized glasses, you know you're in for an incredible ride. Final Destination 5 does a fantastic job of using the third dimension to its advantage. Never do the scenes feel forced or thrown in your face as an afterthought. Every "kill sequence" is meticulously calculated.

But of course, the 3D wouldn't be half as fun if it didn't have an interesting plot to go with it. By all accounts, the fourth film in the series did not live up to expectations. Though it made a decent chunk of change at the box office (hence the green light for a sequel), the premise felt tired and low on steam.

This newest chapter introduces all new characters (except for always reliable Tony Todd) and gives the concept a clean slate to work with. As you may already know, the FD premise revolves around a select group of people "cheating death" then getting their comeuppance through a series of unfortunate events.

Each of FD 5’s main leads does a fantastic job of conveying fear and dark humor. And we can honestly say that each actor meets his demise in a very fresh and inventive way (good luck going for acupuncture after this movie). There's even a great twist ending that will definitely appeal to hardcore Destination fans.

Bottom line: Final Destination 5 is a movie that NEEDS to be seen in a theater. Yes the plot is good and the actors do a fine job, but the true star here is the 3D! Plus, just hearing the audience react to the outrageous death scenes is reason enough to spend the $10.

Are you planning on watching Final Destination 5? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Final Destination, Final Destination 5, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Steven Quale, Tony Todd