Horror fans around the globe have a special spot in their hearts for the Final Destination series, but the franchise has been in hibernation. It was well over a decade ago that Final Destination 5 arrived in theaters, and even though it was a hit (the second highest grossing title in the canon), development of another sequel was slow. Thankfully, it would seem that Final Destination: Bloodlines is going to be considered worth the wait, as the first reactions to screenings have arrived online, and they are extremely positive.
The upcoming horror film is still a little over two weeks away from arriving in theaters, but critics have gotten an early peek at the finished work, and there is only praise being shared on social media. Germain Lussier from iO9 posted to his Bluesky account that Final Destination: Bloodlines is actually the best chapter in the franchise yet... and he doesn't think the competition is all that fierce. He writes:
#FinalDestination #Bloodlines is pretty easily the best film in the franchise by a wide margin. It somehow sprinkles humor & emotion into the most disgusting, gory installment yet. Red herrings galore, excellent misdirects, & gruesome imaginative kills galore. Just a ton of fun.
Part of the fun of the Final Destination series is that each movie has its own special hook when it comes to the way in which Death pursues the lingering survivors of a deadly tragedy, and critic Perri Nemiroff is a big fan of what has been devised by screenwriters Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor (MCU Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts also gets a story credit on the film. In addition to loving the depth of the plot, she also shared praise for another aspect of the sequel that is getting a lot of love: the return of the late Tony Todd as William Bludworth:
The “bloodlines” concept is SO smart, makes so much sense, and adds a really interesting layer to the battle that happens when you’ve cheated death. And the way this movie incorporates Tony Todd? A+.
Fangoria's Phil Nobile Jr. also shared appreciation for Tony Todd's work while summing up why Final Destination: Bloodlines works for him overall in three words:
FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES is exactly what a 2025 installment of the franchise should be: gory, mean, hilarious. So much head trauma. Tony Todd’s final scene is a sentimental meta monologue befitting the legend.
I will concur that there is a kind of fun meanness to the Final Destination movies: as much as you may grow an appreciation for the various characters who are being targeted for death, the greater excitement of the experience is witnessing the stacking of tiny, incidental events that lead to bloodshed and death. Eric Goldman from IGN gets this, and he tips his hat to directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein for their contribution to the legacy:
Ahhh, I had such a good time watching people die horribly! Final Destination: Bloodlines very much delivers - Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein completely get the tone. And Tony Todd’s appearance is a truly lovely one, honoring both William Bludworth and the awesome man who played him.
Critic Matt Konopka adds that Final Destination: Bloodlines contributes the key aspects that franchise fans expect, but he also appreciates the new that it delivers:
Bloodlines is everything a Final Destination film should be. The Rube Goldberg setups are elaborate and surprising. The kills are wild. A few new twists are added to Death’s game to keep things fresh and exciting. And most importantly, it’s all fun as hell. So good to have this franchise back.
Starring Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, and Brec Bassinger in addition to the aforementioned Tony Todd, Final Destination: Bloodlines is finally almost here, and it will be playing in theaters everywhere on May 16.
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