There is no control over life and death. One mistake could be your last. A forgotten cap to a bottle, a malfunction in machinery, a drip of water. An infinite number of possibilities that can trigger the domino effect of your demise.
The great mystery of life is how and when the end will come to take us. The early 2000s gave birth to a horror franchise that would test this idea. Now it has come back to haunt another generation.
Monday, March 17 marks the 25th anniversary of the “Final Destination” horror franchise. Its first film was released in theaters in 2000, followed by films released every three years until the final film, released in 2011. This franchise paved the way for phobias and anxieties to run rampant in people’s minds. The film depicts gruesome and improbable deaths from seemingly everyday normal activities.
After over a decade, the franchise is back again with its sixth installment, “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” set to open on the big screen on May 16. While this may seem like just another cash grab for nostalgia’s sake, there is still a big question that has loomed over the franchise, left unanswered. What happened to Kimberly and Officer Burke?
The title “Bloodlines” leads one to believe we will finally get our answer to this decade-long question. Following the iconic 90s final girls, such as Sydney in the Scream franchise. “Final Destination” subverts the expectations by leaving no survivors by the end of the story. Almost every character in the main story dies. Even Clear Rivers — the only survivor of the first film — winds up dead by the end of the second film.
The only characters in the entire franchise who manage to survive the events of the movies — after being labeled for death — are Kimberly Corman and Officer Thomas Burke from the second film. Every other character that was labeled for death could not change their fate.
The main reason they are able to survive is Kimberly’s unique ability to have multiple visions. While characters prior to her film — and even afterwards — were able to see signs of the potential causes of victims’ deaths, none were able to see full visions the way that Kimberly was. This ability gave her an advantage when it came to beating death itself.
Why would anyone want to watch a movie where no one survives?
Fans of the franchise are well aware of the story beats in each film. The movie opens with a normal day where the protagonist goes about their daily life when tragically there is a freak accident. The protagonist realizes it’s a vision, they save a handful of people, who then become the cast of the film. This kicks off a series of gruesome deaths via one-in-a-million chances, and then they are picked off one by one.
What made the franchise so unique is its ability to invoke anxiety among its viewers. While the chances of finding oneself in such scenarios may be limited, it is never zero. The very first film for example played on the fear that many travelers face of a plane crash.
The crash of the fictional plane flight 180 is referenced in every movie except the fifth installment, which is a prequel to the events of the first movie. “Final Destination 5” being a prequel solidified the message of the franchise: that death is inevitable.
“What you have to realize is that we’re 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 we 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,” said William Bludwork, played by actor Tony Todd, the only character to appear in almost every edition of the franchise.
While it has yet to be confirmed by the films, many fans theorize that Bludwork the mortician is in fact death itself. He seems to always be there at the right time, leaving hints and warnings for the cast.
“In death there are no accidents, no coincidences, no mishaps, and no escapes,” said Bludwork.
This is what has drawn viewers in throughout the years and sets this horror franchise apart from the rest. Death is inescapable. No day is ever promised to us, and yet many of us live without the constant fear of death. We drive metal cars filled with explosive gas, we half-ass tasks at work to get the job done faster, and we drink literal poison to have a good time.
“Final Destination” puts a magnifying glass to all these little mistakes, and shows the most dire consequence that exists as a result — death.
Now after years of silence — of ignorant bliss — the franchise has come to once again pull back the veil of our blanketed security, exposing us to the harsh reality of what it means to be alive. Hopefully in the process it will answer fans’ long-awaited question: What happens to your bloodline when you cheat death?
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TOP PHOTO: Official poster for the movie “Final Destination: Bloodlines.” The sixth installment of the franchise in theaters May 16. Promotional poster from Final Destination Movie Instagram.
Mel Llamas is the Opinions Editor for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @MM_Llamas
