Anyone who has been kicking themselves for missing "Final Destination" a few years ago can rest easy come this Friday: The sequel is out, and though it might have a few entertaining qualities, the film fails to deliver the terror it promises.
"Final Destination 2" is fast-paced and bloodcurdling, showing audiences who have been on the edge of their seats for three years just what has happened to Clear Rivers (Ali Larter) after she survived the events of the first film. Surrounded by premonitions of death, Clear is regarded as paranoid - until a series of "coincidental" accidents convinces everyone her omens are for real.
As with many sequels, "Final Destination 2" is a far cry from the intensity, unpredictability and mind-boggling nature of the innovative and unique first film. The novelty of the first film is lost in this sequel, in which the irony quickly becomes absurdity.
To its credit, "Final Destination 2" has a fast-paced, well-thought-out storyline, with loose ends tied up and questions answered by the end. Despite the film's attempt to leave the viewer wondering, the riddle-like unfurling of events doesn't leave much to the imagination.
Director David R. Ellis does a nice job of setting up the film, and J. Mackye Gruber's script slowly unfolds the story, so it's easily understandable to those who never saw the first movie. While this means viewers who didn't see James Wong's first film would enjoy this one, it also means the core audience has a higher chance of ending up bored.
With its in-your-face gruesomeness, "Final Destination 2" does manage to keep the audience cringing (though sometimes it's a toss-up whether they're more upset by events on screen or the film as a whole). Thankfully, the fast pace of the film lets everything end in less than two hours. Setting an example for future films, Ellis makes sure that every moment of the film is crucially tied to the main plot.
"Final Destination 2" isn't a scary movie, although at times it gets a little freaky. Ellis and Gruber put forward an interesting set of theories on fate, making sure viewers will leave the theater as paranoid as Rivers about the possible omens of death that surround them every day.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
