Ranking the Final Destination Movies Worst to Best
Final Destination: Bloodlines has dropped and has blew out its predecessors at the box office. Every movie in the series follows a formula similar to Scream which is what I think make both so effective. There is a premonition of an impending disaster, rules to follow to survive, dark comedy, and a group of young adults facing utterly bizarre and out of nowhere deaths. It’s hard not to enjoy something so simple yet terrifying and which is why I would say that none of the six movies on this list below would be consider bad. With that being said, I decided to see where it landed amongst the other in the franchise.
6. THE FINAL DESTINATION (4)
As I hinted at earlier, I’m a huge fan of the Final Destination movies so it was hard to speak poorly about them. If there was one that would be considered the worst, it would probably be its initial last entry in the series that killed the franchise for several years. When it comes to the fourth movie, there are a few things that it doesn't do as well as the others. For one, the characters aren’t likable which makes some of the deaths feel empty even if we enjoy them getting their dues. Secondly, the deaths themselves are probably the least memorable of the six. Lastly, I also don’t find the opening disaster to be that great despite a cool idea in theory. However, the pool and escalator scenes are traumatizing in the best of ways.
5. FINAL DESTINATION 1
While it’s hard to talk badly about these movies, it also hurts to put its original so low because it’s fantastic. Obviously, this is the home of Flight 180 - one of the most iconic moments from the franchise than gets better on a rewatch given the events of Final Destination 5. We also get Alex Browning and Clear Rivers who are arguably the best protagonists in the series. The actors really carry some hit-or-miss material in a film where it’s more about the spectacle than anything else. I do wish that the VFX and cinematography here was a little better for that reason but given the time it came out we’ll give it a pass. On another note, this film had the tough task of beginning to explain how Death’s rules, orders, and exceptions works but end us leaving with more questions than answers. Thankfully, its sequel helps us out there.
4. FINAL DESTINATION 5
Final Destination appeared to be dead until years later a fifth one was announced that just looked like a standalone cash grab. Talk about surpassing expectations, as there is a lot to love. I’ll get the elephant out of the room here early: the twist that it’s a prequel to the events of the first movie is incredible work. It’s hinted to subtly throughout but genuinely shocks you if you’re looking for the signs the first time which is some great writing. And don’t worry there are still classic deaths like the gruesome gymnastics scene, the cringey laser eye surgery, and the ending of the North Bay Bridge collapse to enjoy as well. Overall, its a pretty run of the mill entry that dazzles at times but doesn’t establish any new ground like the three left do.
3. FINAL DESTINATION 2
Alrighty folks, we’re onto the cream of the crop with the return of Clear Rivers. It’s nice to see a character not named Bloodworth to return that gives these movies a more connected feel to them than these one-off stories. It’s tough that Alex couldn’t return due to the actor’s scheduling issues but they give write him out in an ironically funny way to make up for it. Before we get to Clear, there is the forever phobia-inducing Route 23 highway pile up which is a set piece you won’t ever get out of your head on the road. It may be the best opening disaster of the bunch. What also makes Final Destination 2 special is the lore that is built. We get some more clarification on ways to survive post-premonition that gives hope to future victims. that is confirmed by giving us the only character to beat death in Kimberly who flatlines but is revived. It’s nice that there’s at least one of these films that doesn’t end bleakly.
2. FINAL DESTINATION 3
Some people in the fanbase rate this as their favorite and I have no qualms with that as with time it could take the #1 spot. Until then, let’s dive into what makes FD3 a top tier entry. The ensemble cast with the charismatic Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ryan Merman as the leads has to be the best in the series. I usually don’t care about who dies but those two got me emotionally invested. Not to be outdone by anyone, the third film’s roller coaster opener is wild and is probably the scariest of the six premonitions. Every kill in the movie from the weight room scene to their train and of course the tanning bed phenomenon is as horrifying as it should be. I don’t anything negative to say besides the fact that Tony Todd only appears via voice.
FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES (6)
I just saw this last Thursdays and holy s***. It just feels like the best one yet if that makes sense. I have my full review here so I’ll keep it brief. Off the bat, thanks to advances in the budget and technology, this destroys the other when it comes to the visuals that are offered, particularly from the Skyview tower disaster (which is a bunch of fun too). The color palette and red undertones also deserve a little shout out here as well for something that hasn't been a focus in the past. Moving on from the technical side of things, the characters are easy to root for and that’s always a plus. There’s also some retconning of the series in regard to its rules, history, and characters that cement the timeline finally. Let me know what you thought and check out my in depth review!
