FILM REVIEW: FINAL DESTINATION – BLOODLINES (15)

New generation. Same fate.

Who would’ve thought the sixth instalment of the Final Destination franchise would turn out to be one of the best? Certainly not me. And yet here we are!

With Bloodlines topping the series on film score aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, it’s clear most critics are on the same page – this one’s a standout!

For me, the original from 2000 – fun fact: it was originally conceived as an X-Files episode – still wears the crown. When it first hit screens, it felt like a breath of fresh air, delivering something genuinely new and original. Since then, each sequel has followed the same reliable formula – premonitions of gruesome deaths allow a handful of potential victims to cheat fate, only for death to come back with a vengeance. And honestly, that formula still works.

In a fresh twist, Bloodlines raises the stakes by targeting not just the survivors who cheated death, but also their family members – people who technically shouldn’t exist. At the heart of the story is college student Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), her moody teenage brother Charlie (Teo Briones), and their cousins Julia (Anna Lore), Bobby (Owen Patrick Joyner), and Erik (Richard Harmon).

Though Stefani is the clear protagonist, it’s Erik who truly steals the show. He delivers the comic relief the film desperately needs, and it’s clear the writers had the most fun penning his scenes. Stefani, by contrast, serves more as a narrative anchor – functional, but a little flat.

But – let's be honest – no one watches a Final Destination movie for deep character arcs. We’re here for wildly imaginative deaths – and this film delivers them by the bucket load.

Part of the fun of this series has always been trying to guess how death will strike. The films are masters at mis-direction, setting up one horrific scenario only to take a completely unexpected (and usually nastier) turn. Bloodlines continues that tradition brilliantly. The kills are just as gory, creative, and iconic as fans have come to expect. If past entries made us fear tree trunks and rollercoasters, this one will make you side-eye trampolines and glass floors for the rest of your life.

The film’s pacing is spot-on. Just when the story starts to get a bit too plot heavy, a jaw-dropping death scene kicks in. And when that intensity becomes overwhelming, the film cleverly pulls us back into the narrative.

Believe it or not, it’s been fourteen years since the last entry (yup, I feel old!). Maybe that gap is why this one feels so refreshingly sharp. With a $50 million haul in its opening weekend Stateside, it’s clear the appetite is still strong. It’s hard to believe this was originally meant to forgo a cinematic release and go straight to streaming.

Bloodlines works both as a soft reboot for newcomers and a treat for long time fans, with plenty of clever nods to the earlier films.

This is a killer comeback no one saw coming – not even Death himself.

And for that Bloodlines reaches its gory destination with some deadly aplomb – and adds some exciting lineage to the franchise at the same time.

ESP Rating: 4/5

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joynor, Rya Kihlstedt, Anna Lore, Gabrielle Rose & Tony Todd

Running Time: 1 Hr 50 Mins

Directors: Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

For all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux & Odeon Luxe Cinemas go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and www.odeon.co.uk