Final Destination: Bloodlines brings death back in style

The Sun

3 days ago

IT has been 14 long years since the last Final Destination entry, but Bloodlines marks a killer return to form. The sixth instalment in the carnage-fuelled franchise hits just the right mix of throwback nostalgia and genre evolution, all while maintaining the creative death sequences fans know and (grimly) love. Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein do not just resurrect a beloved formula, they infuse it with renewed purpose and a multigenerational twist that actually makes sense.
And yes, Death is still mad.
Nightmarish family heirloom
This time around, the ticking clock is tied not just to a single person but to an entire family tree. The story centres on Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a college student who begins having horrifying visions linked to a tragic accident from decades ago. Through a twisted family legacy, she learns her nightmares are not just creepy, they are part of something bigger, older and very much unfinished.
It is a clever expansion of the original formula. Bloodlines does not try to reinvent Final Destination's signature structure (vision, denial, denial with screaming, acceptance, elaborate death, repeat), but it adds a layer of mythos that actually feels earned. By turning Death's curse into a hereditary curse, the franchise gets a chance to go both backwards and forwards at once and somehow, it works.
Killswitch engage
Honestly, no one goes into a Final Destination film primarily for character development. Viewers want death traps, improbable accidents and at least one scene that makes them rethink using household appliances. On that front, Bloodlines does not disappoint.
The kills are outrageous, gut-churning and (thankfully) free from an overreliance on CGI. Every Rube Goldberg-like demise lands with that perfect balance of tension and absurdity, keeping the audience both wincing and waiting for the next creative fatality. This movie is gleeful in its gore and very proud of it.
Fans of earlier entries will find plenty to admire here. There is even a distinct nod to the glorious chaos of Final Destination 2's infamous pile-up, delivered with a fresh coat of dread and inventive staging. This is a love letter written in blood.
New faces, same unlucky destiny
While Bloodlines injects a new generation into the franchise, this batch of doomed twenty-somethings (and some not) is a welcome refresh. The ensemble is diverse, likeable enough and, for the most part, convincing in their panic and disbelief. Standouts like Erik (Richard Harmon) and Charlie (Teo Briones) bring surprising charm and levity to the chaos.
That said, the protagonist, Stefani, feels slightly under-seasoned when compared to some of the franchise's past leads. She is fine, just not particularly memorable. Especially when put next to Iris (Brec Bassinger and Gabrielle Rose), her grandmother and a character who exudes layered trauma, gothic conviction and all the Final Girl energy Stefani could have used more of. Iris, despite limited screen time, somehow steals every scene she is in with a mix of weariness and wisdom that gives the film real emotional weight.
Still, the dynamic between the family members and the generational aspect of the plot gives the story enough texture to carry through even when Stefani's screen presence feels a bit diluted.
Gore-geously produced
Bloodlines is not a film for the squeamish or those with a philosophical inclination. It is a horror ride, bloody, ridiculous and wonderfully fatalistic. For those who appreciate this kind of chaos, it is nearly perfect. But it is also very much a niche delight. The pacing is fast, the tone is unapologetically bleak and the film assumes that its audience knows what they signed up for.
There is little hand-holding and even less interest in reinventing what the franchise does best. Instead, it leans into the formula and sharpens it. That confidence makes it one of the better-crafted entries in the series, even if it is unlikely to convert new fans who do not enjoy watching fate literally body-check people into oblivion.
Grim Reaper returns
Final Destination: Bloodlines proves that even after six films, the franchise still has creative legs and many, many ways to break them. With smart callbacks, a unique mythological twist and some of the most grotesquely fun kills in the series yet, it satisfies long-time fans while teasing a broader universe that could actually sustain more stories.
Yes, the main character might not leave a strong impression, but everything else from the execution (pun intended) to the pacing feels like a return to form. It is nostalgic without being stale, modern without being overstuffed and yes, still very, very fatal.
It is gory. It is precise. It is a scream, but only for those who can stomach it.
DIRECTOR: Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein
CAST: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Rya Kihlstedt, Richard Harmon, Tony Todd
E-VALUE: 7/10
PLOT: 8/10
ACTING: 8/10