Post by dave607 on Sept 1, 2009 0:13:32 GMT 6
Horror sequels have long been thought to be boring, repetitive, regurgitated versions of the originals or every other horror movie out there by the critics. Who cares what the critics say? They arent made for them, they are made for the fans. When Friday the 13th Part 27 comes out, I'll be in the theater watching it. I dont care if its "masked maniac kills camp counselors at Crystal Lake....again". We go see horror movies for the adventure, the scare, the blood & the imaginative death scenes.
"Final Destination 4" is a brand we are used to by now. Btw, I refuse to call it by its given name of "The Final Destination" because its a stupid name & too similar to the original film title "Final Destination". How many people will go into a video rental store this week & see "Final Destination" & think "the new one is out already?" Anyway, the basic plot line is there as in the other 3 films. Someone has a premonition of disaster, this time at a Nascar race, then things start to happen as they occurred in the vision & he freaks & hightails it out of there. He realizes he sees warning signs, informs others-- most of which think he's crazy (until they die). So anyone expecting a much broader storyline & something more original & different may want to skip it.
The film in itself kinda caters to the fans of the franchise. There's little "in-jokes" that casual viewers wont catch. I noticed 3 things on the first veiwing. I'm sure when I watch it again, I'll catch more. 1) The opening credits include skeletal animatronics of previous death scenes from the first 3 movies. I watched the other 3 movies enough to recognize this instantly. 2) The racetrack is named McKinley-- after Ian McKinley, the goth-type dude in Final Destination 3. 3) The pool is called Clear Rivers Water. Ali Larters character in the original is named Clear Rivers. (Sidenote-- I thought her name was "Claire" until I looked at the credits. Seriously, who names their daughter Clear? Especially when your last name is Rivers?)
This movie has some great detail in the special effects & creative death sequences. The use of 3D thoughout the film is brilliant. Going in, I thought it would just be like body parts & stuff flying at you. But they use it for the most basic stuff-- the fence at the racetrack is a great example. They showed you right from the start that you are in for a wild ride. I will definitely be picking up the 3D version on DVD when it comes out. The humor is still there. Early on when a car on the track almost spins out of control, someone questions "Is it safe to sit here?". The reply is "Yeah, there's a fence." I dont think a fence is going to stop a car. As always, to keep you in suspense, there are the added bonus "false scares" to keep you on the edge of your seat & keep you guessing.
The one low point I found in the movie was the running time-- 82 minutes (with credits). You expect at least 90 minutes with a movie. I think they could have made the movie a little longer, added a little something here & there. But with the running time so short, the story moves very fast & doesnt look back. It just constantly goes forward.
I'd definitely give at least 8 out of 10 stars. I dont know how to compare it with the rest of the franchise yet. I really like 1& 3, so I dont know if it will top those. Even tho I liked Part 2, I'd say this one is better.
"Final Destination 4" is a brand we are used to by now. Btw, I refuse to call it by its given name of "The Final Destination" because its a stupid name & too similar to the original film title "Final Destination". How many people will go into a video rental store this week & see "Final Destination" & think "the new one is out already?" Anyway, the basic plot line is there as in the other 3 films. Someone has a premonition of disaster, this time at a Nascar race, then things start to happen as they occurred in the vision & he freaks & hightails it out of there. He realizes he sees warning signs, informs others-- most of which think he's crazy (until they die). So anyone expecting a much broader storyline & something more original & different may want to skip it.
The film in itself kinda caters to the fans of the franchise. There's little "in-jokes" that casual viewers wont catch. I noticed 3 things on the first veiwing. I'm sure when I watch it again, I'll catch more. 1) The opening credits include skeletal animatronics of previous death scenes from the first 3 movies. I watched the other 3 movies enough to recognize this instantly. 2) The racetrack is named McKinley-- after Ian McKinley, the goth-type dude in Final Destination 3. 3) The pool is called Clear Rivers Water. Ali Larters character in the original is named Clear Rivers. (Sidenote-- I thought her name was "Claire" until I looked at the credits. Seriously, who names their daughter Clear? Especially when your last name is Rivers?)
This movie has some great detail in the special effects & creative death sequences. The use of 3D thoughout the film is brilliant. Going in, I thought it would just be like body parts & stuff flying at you. But they use it for the most basic stuff-- the fence at the racetrack is a great example. They showed you right from the start that you are in for a wild ride. I will definitely be picking up the 3D version on DVD when it comes out. The humor is still there. Early on when a car on the track almost spins out of control, someone questions "Is it safe to sit here?". The reply is "Yeah, there's a fence." I dont think a fence is going to stop a car. As always, to keep you in suspense, there are the added bonus "false scares" to keep you on the edge of your seat & keep you guessing.
The one low point I found in the movie was the running time-- 82 minutes (with credits). You expect at least 90 minutes with a movie. I think they could have made the movie a little longer, added a little something here & there. But with the running time so short, the story moves very fast & doesnt look back. It just constantly goes forward.
I'd definitely give at least 8 out of 10 stars. I dont know how to compare it with the rest of the franchise yet. I really like 1& 3, so I dont know if it will top those. Even tho I liked Part 2, I'd say this one is better.