Final Destination 5

You spin me right round baby right round like a record baby.

Hee, no surprise to find great division among horror fanatics, whatever the film or franchise, hot debate - even furious anger - can be found. FD5 has unsurprisingly garnered mixed reactions, but even allowing for the fact that as an idea it's a series that can't get better, part 5 is a considerable step up from the very poor part 4. It also boasts a neat trick of the tail, where some ingenuity is used to bring the series full circle, with a glint in the eye and a bloody tongue in the cheek.

Once again the opening and closing credit sequences are superb, doffing its cap to what is undoubtedly a very popular horror franchise. The disaster that underpins the formula is one of ...

One of the best of the franchise, if not THE best

The first "Final Destination" movie in 2000 was a rather innovative 'Dead Teenager Movie' in that the killer was Death itself, an invisible spirit. A group of people, mostly youths, escape a great tragedy due to a premonition of one of them and the rest of the movie involves the Grim Reaper systematically slaying the kids who cheated Death in various creative ways, usually an unlikely chain of events. The opening tragedy in the first film was a plane crash, in the second a highway pile-up, in the third a rollercoaster mishap, in the fourth a racetrack calamity. In this fifth and most recent film (2011) its a spectacular bridge collapse and its probably the best opening tragedy of th...

Part 5 has a lot more interesting ways to have people killed. There getting wiser and smarter with every killing.

Final Destination 5 is a solid step up from the last few entries, but it still doesnt come close to the original. The plot follows the usual formula, with a group of people escaping a disaster only to find out that death doesnt like being cheated. It doesnt try to break new ground, but it delivers what fans expect. The directing is competent, with well-paced tension leading up to the signature over-the-top death sequences. The cinematography and visual effects stand out, especially with the impressive 3D work that actually enhances the experience instead of feeling gimmicky.

Outside of the thrilling set pieces, the rest of the movie just exists. The acting is forgettable, with performances that feel more like reading lines than embodying...

'Final Destination 5' actually won me over in the end. There's a detail about it that I didn't know about before watching, it's to do with the conclusion. I'm glad I was unaware, it made it much more enjoyable to see. If you plan of seeing this, go in as blind as possible - it's worth it.

The film does eventually (much of the film plays out similarly, mind) do something different with the plot, which is something I've wanted to see whilst watching the previous four entries. It involves Miles Fisher's Peter, a character that isn't perfectly written but is narrowly serviceable.

Nicholas D'Agosto is a decent lead, while Emma Bell also appears - first time I've seen her act away from 'The Walking Dead'. Courtney B. Vance is solid in a sma...