Final Destination Bloodlines is everything fans could want: gruesome deaths, creative setups, and a satisfying blend of dread and dark humor. But it also dares to deepen the mythology, reframing Death not just as a force, but as a presence—palpable, inevitable. For longtime fans, this movie is a bloody gift!

“In death, there are no accidents. No coincidence. No mishaps. And no escapes. You have to realize that we’re all just a mouse that a cat has by the tail. Every single move we make, from the mundane to the monumental, the red light that we stop at or run, the people with have sex with, or won’t with us, the airplanes that we ride, or walk out of, it’s all part of death’s sadistic design leading to the grave.”

Fourteen years after the release of Final Destination 5, the franchise returns from the grave—bloodier, and bolder than ever. With Final Destinatio, directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein deliver a thrilling resurrection of the series, rooted in the same sadistic fatalism fans love, but with intriguing new layers to its mythology. The movie expands on the rules of Death’s design, deepening the concept without straying too far from what made the originals so compelling. On top of that, it delivers what might be the most gripping catalyst since the original setting the tone for a chapter that feels both familiar and thrillingly reimagined.

The movie kicks off in 1968, with Iris (Brec Bassinger) and her soon-to-be fiancé, Paul (Max Lloyd-Jones), attending the grand opening of the Skyview Restaurant Tower (finished five months ahead of schedule, which is the perfect recipe for an exquisite disaster). What begins as a glamorous evening, complete with dancing to The Isley Brothers’ Shout (we love good needle drops, and this movie surely delivered), devolves into chaos. Glass floor shattering, tower structure collapsing, fire and explosions—a symphony of destruction that’s not only visually stunning but perfectly paced and edited (this is how you make a Final Destination premonition).

What sets Bloodlines apart is its subtle shift in structure and tone. While it doesn’t stray too far from the tried-and-true formula of the franchise, it introduces a twist: a generational curse. The premonition is no longer limited to one individual’s psychic vision, but instead passed down through dreams, haunting the families of those who once cheated Death. The mythology expands meaningfully here, finally offering insight into the franchise’s lore without sacrificing suspense or entertainment. It adds weight to the chaos, grounding the story in something a little more intimate. 

In Final Destination Bloodlines, we follow Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) in the present day as she returns to her family in search of answers following recurring nightmares about the Skyview disaster. Believing her estranged grandmother may hold the key to ending the nightmares, she tracks her down at a fortified cabin in the woods, hoping to uncover the truth and understand what’s happening. The deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that her bloodline is cursed, haunted by Iris’s disruption of Death’s design decades earlier. 

“No one can escape death.”

For this sixth installment, it felt like the filmmakers cared more about the characters and the story itself—for once, it didn’t feel entirely “random”. That extra attention shows, especially in how the dynamic centers around family rather than a loosely connected group of friends or strangers. There’s something more grounded and emotionally cohesive when the characters are bound by blood—it raises the stakes, making their fates hit a little harder, but don’t worry, the movie doesn’t dive into something too dramatic, you will laugh a lot! By giving the story a generational thread and tying the victims to a shared origin point, the movie finds a sense of narrative purpose that was often missing in some of the earlier entries.

Despite the narrative shift, the deaths remain the undeniable stars of the show. The movie delivers gloriously over-the-top death sequences that hit all the right notes. Whether it’s a family barbecue, a stop at the tattoo shop, or a trip to the hospital, each scene unlocks new irrational fears, keeping the suspense relentless (I’ve never been this nervous to drive back home after watching a movie). The editing is impeccable, teasing outcomes and subverting expectations at every turn, making the experience funny, bloody, and at times, genuinely nerve-racking. What these movies do best is remind us that anything can happen at any moment, and this installment nails the art of teasing. The deaths are exquisite: gnarly, creative, and just stupid enough (in the best possible way).

Tony Todd’s comeback as William Bludworth absolutely deserves a mention, as Final Destination Bloodlines offers both the character—and the actor—the farewell he deserves. As always, the protagonists seek him out for guidance on how to escape their fate, but this time, his advice isn’t quite what we’ve come to expect. I keep thinking about the monologue he delivers in that movie—and I must admit it genuinely caught me off guard emotionally; I never expected a Final Destination movie to bring tears to my eyes.

At its core, Final Destination Bloodlines is everything fans could want: gruesome deaths, creative setups, and a satisfying blend of dread and dark humor. But it also dares to deepen the mythology, reframing Death not just as a force, but as a presence—palpable, inevitable. For longtime fans, this movie is a bloody gift!

Grade: B+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Where to Watch: In Theaters