Movie
Review | Final Destination 2
Reviewed by: Brian
Orndorf
2000’s “Final Destination” was a terrific surprise. It was a
horror film based on thrills, with chills its second goal, a very rare
find in this genre. It also took the nation by surprise, and quickly
racked up respectable box office and a legion of supporters (myself
included). As with any low budgeted hit, we now have to contend with a
sequel, but this new installment is a case of a studio that’s
misjudged exactly what made “Destination” work so well.
It’s been a year since the survivors of flight 180 were
systematically erased by an unknown force, leaving Clear Rivers (Ali
Larter, “Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back“) the only one standing.
Upon leaving with her friends for spring break in Daytona, Kimberly
Corman (A.J. Cook) has a vision of a massive highway accident. The
premonition leaves her afraid to continue with the trip, and she
blocks a freeway onramp to protect those she knows will be involved.
When the accident soon occurs without the intended victims, Kimberly
has cheated death, and starts the cycle of the one-by-one killings
that plagued the survivors of the earlier accident. Kimberly and the
rest of the panicked group have only one hope for survival, and
that’s Clear, who’s been locked in a mental institution all this
time hoping to keep herself away from death’s grasp.
“Final Destination 2” pronounces itself brashly right away with
the opening car accident. Carefully staged and increasingly mounting
in anticipation, director David R. Ellis (“Homeward Bound 2”)
immediately showcases his ability to seize control of this franchise
away from original director James Wong (“The One”), and escort it
safely through what’s expected of this sequel. It’s a killer
opening, for sure, and sets the picture off on the right foot for
first-class mayhem.
However, Wong was a clever director, and screenwriters Glen Morgan
and Jeffrey Reddick (along with Wong) wrote a unique screenplay that
carefully built up its tricky premise in a way where you didn’t see,
or care to think about, plot holes. New Line Cinema clearly believes
that the Rube Goldbergian designed death set pieces are what the
millions paid to see, and they force the minds behind “Destination
2” to go for more gore and less sense. While undeniably fun to
watch, the enchantment wears thin after 45 minutes, and then the
picture starts liberally hurdling gaps of logic in pursuit of its
insatiable thirst for blood. These cavities in common sense start to
add up quickly, and when the picture finally comes to a halt, the
empty feeling lives on, quite the opposite of the first film. Though
hardly a rush job (it’s been three years since the original film),
“Destination 2” feels like it was put together without much
forethought, and designed to provide instant gratification to the
masses. “Final Destination” was a blast of horror, but also a
mournful, brooding film. “Destination 2” just wants the big
reactions, without working all that hard for them.
If you are coming to this film just for the kills, you’ll hardly
be disappointed. The screenwriters here have come up with all sorts of
intricate ways for people to buy the farm, including one character who
has a plate glass window dropped squarely on him, smashing him into
mush. Or another who’s beheaded by a runaway elevator. My favorite
snuff scene in the film involves a jagged pipe punched through the
head rest of a truck, and the inevitable release of a driver’s side
airbag. Gruesome, but wildly inventive.
I also find it hard to fault a modern horror film that has no
interest in loud jolts on the soundtrack to achieve scares. The two
“Destination” film are concerned solely with unbearable
anticipation and mounting dread, never the fake scares utilized far
too much these days. Amen.
“Final Destination 2” isn’t up to par with its original
creation, and its empty calorie delights will only be fleetingly fun.
But things could’ve been a lot worse, and are, in horror films these
days. I’ll gladly take these sloppy seconds any time over garbage
like “Darkness Falls.”
Grade: 6/10
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