Final Destination

Cast: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, Seann William Scott, Amanda Detmer, Kristen Cloke, Chad E. Donella
Director: James Wong
Producers: Craig Perry, Warren Zide
Screenplay: Glen Morgan & James Wong and Jeffrey Reddick
Music: Shirley Walker
UK Distributor: New Line Cinema

As with Fred Dekker's Night of the Creeps (1986) and John Carpenter's The Fog (1980), this is another case of fan boy film-making where all the main characters are named after film directors. So one character is called Billy Hitchcock and his sexy teacher is called Val Lewton (after the original Cat People director).

It's not a major problem and is obviously included to keep horror buffs happy although you do start listening intently for any other film-related characters.

The movie starts off well. A bunch of American students due to go on a field trip to Paris get thrown off the plane when one of their number has visions of a disaster looming. After seeing the plane implode in a well realised dream sequence, his fellow students naturally berate him - until the plane actually does explode. Another well done seen from afar in the background and shattering the glass at the JFK passenger lounge.

As you may have gathered, this is not one of those movies that will be seen if you jet off to sunnier climes this summer.

Is he psychic? His mates believe he can see the future and when the rest of the survivors start getting bumped off in a series of mysterious circumstances, all eyes are naturally on the fresh faced teen, who has realised that there is a pattern to this carnage.

The rest of his living mates are being bumped off in order of how they would have died as an explosion spread through the plane.

This starts off okay with one of their number killed in an elaborate bathroom accident involving a leaking toilet. It would have been fine if that's all it was but director James (X Files) Wong spoils things after the death by having the water retreat to its source.

That sets the tone for the second act in which we are teased by a series of elaborate deaths involving explosions and many a red herring.

One of the great things about Final Destination is the soundtrack. An ominous fan echoes the engine of the doomed 747, the opening titles are haunting and convey an impending sense of unease.

The other thing is the cast. Aside from Candyman's Tony Todd in a cameo as the world's creepiest mortician, everyone else is practically unknown. Okay, there are refugees from The House on Haunted Hill (which I haven't seen), American Pie and Dawson's Creek (which I have and didn't link the two) and Idle Hands which is also a mystery to me.

The hero looks like a young Simon Le Bon and one of the lads from Neighbours. However, all carry no, er, excess baggage from a string of other movies so necessary credibility on their part is kept high.

FD is a like a teen version of The Omen and just the right length to avoid irritation. There's a number of impressive set pieces which do start to grate after a while and a fair performance from all concerned. Compared to airline thriller Turbulence and Ray Liotta's dreadful performance, all the actors here should win an Oscar at least.

The finale is an overblown affair which segues into a poor epilogue set in a supposed Paris street. (Obviously a Californian soundstage.) We know this because the first thing we see is a Renault 2CV, then a moped and then a street of cafes. Director Wong was one step away from having a man cycle past in a striped jersey, wearing a beret with a string of onions around his neck.

Exploiting the domino effect of disaster, an inevitable conclusion arrives, leaving things open for a possible sequel.

After all, three helpings of Scream were not generated by closing off all avenues after the first one.

No classic but a creepy diversion for a dull May afternoon.

© 2000 Roger Crow

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