Final Destination: We Are Doomed to Die, So Are You Outside the Screen

October 25 2023 By ChillJane

CJ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As Halloween is approaching, if I have to choose a horror movie to set the mood, I would definitely go for the "Final Destination" series! Would there be any better chance to revisit my personal favorite horror film series? It's worth mentioning that the first movie in this series was first released in 2000, which means it has been over twenty years since then. At that time, with a budget of 23 million dollars, it exceeded expectations by earning an outstanding 112 million dollars at the box office. Since then, a new movie in the series has been released every two or three years, until the fifth installment in 2011. All five films performed well at the box office, and it's safe to say that its loyal fans, including me, are eagerly awaiting the sixth installment.

This time, despite fair expectations, I was still scared out of my wits. However, I can clearly see that the fear I experienced while watching the movies is different from what I felt the first time I watched them. Previously, when I watched the "Final Destination" series, I witnessed spectacles of bizarre and unimaginable deaths. But now, as I watch it again, I deeply see the inevitability of death or fate.

I believe that the "Final Destination" series, while still being a popcorn movie, distinguishes itself from the rest of the kind. Its lasting appeal stems not only from the incredibly imaginative death scenes, but also from its concepts about death and the way it handles death.

Concept of Death: Inescapability and Universality

Asian horror movies tend to convey that it’s karma that leads to all those strange and mysterious phenomena. A classic example is "Ringu"(1998). On the other hand, Western horror movies often derive inspiration from Christian traditions, exploring stories of individuals who commit the seven deadly sins and face divine punishment, as seen in films like "The Shining"(1980) and the "Saw" series. Additionally, there is a subgenre of horror films that evoke terror without any apparent reason, transcending human rationale and logic, exemplified by movies like "Ju-on: The Grudge"(2002).

The "Final Destination" series is quite special. It seems that it cannot be perfectly categorized into the three types mentioned above (in fact, the first and second types are essentially the same logic, so ultimately there are only two categories). At first glance, it is not that everything comes from nowhere, because it always starts by presenting a predetermined scenario to facilitate the audience's immersion - for no apparent reason, the Grim Reaper decides to take a group of people away. One of the main characters has a premonition and ultimately leads the companions to escape from the Grim Reaper. However, precisely because they toyed with death, they will soon face the Grim Reaper's pursuit. The "Final Destination" series attempts to provide a rational explanation within its overarching framework - because you were meant to die, all your struggles are futile, they only further anger the Grim Reaper, and your luck becomes your new misfortune. But, let us ponder, what exactly is that Grim Reaper? It doesn't sound like the righteous Western God or the mysterious Eastern forces. Actually, it is more like the true, universal fate that no one can escape, the natural rules of birth, aging, illness, and death. In this case, the "Final Destination" series falls into the latter type, but with a seemingly resonable mask.

And this is exactly the essence of the "Final Destination" series. Once the young and beautiful protagonists in the movie are targeted by death, they cannot escape. This concept extends beyond the screen. Every viewer, every individual, is ultimately destined to die, a fate that we as humans cannot resist.

In each movie of this series, there is always a character (usually the third-to-last on the death list) who is unwilling to die due to fear and despair. They start to question and challenge death, asking why me? Why not someone else? They engage in various struggles, such as trying to stay in the safest place (as seen in the first several installments) or even developing evil intentions and attempting to kill other innocent people so the latter can take their place in death (a new rule introduced in the fifth installment). However, no matter how hard they try to resist death, they ultimately die as a direct or indirect result of their self-preserving actions. In this way, audiences are reminded that in the face of death, there is no such thing that some should die and others shouldn’t, or there is someone who deserves to die more. Death treats the young, the old, the healthy, and the ones suffering from illness equally.

This is also how the real world is like, isn't it?

Approaches to Dealing with Death: Preparing for Death and Death as Everyday Occurrences

The charm of the "Final Destination" series lies in its profound exploration of the essence of horror. The true horror does not reside solely in the moment of death for the characters, but also in the chronic torment they must endure leading up to their demise. The main characters in the "Final Destination" series always quickly realize why all of this is happening and promptly compile a list of deaths based on their visions. The most terrifying part is when you know that the next name on the list is yours, and that no one before you has been spared - so of course, you won't be either. Once you accept this first layer of fear, the second layer follows - you are going to die, but you don't know when. It's like a terminally ill person who does not know when exactly they will die; however, some of them get to choose a more peaceful means of death (no offense here), whereas you cannot, as you have witnessed your companions on the list dying one after another in various unexpected, bizarre ways, which brings the most horrible sense.

You will definitely die, that's the first layer of fear; you will die soon, that's the second layer; how you will die, that's the third layer. And these three fundamental fears about death still apply to all of us, even outside of movies.

"Final Destination" series effectively address the fear of death in a unique way. It establishes a balanced relationship between the bizarre nature of death and the ordinary aspects of it. The main characters meet their demise in peculiar ways, such as being impaled by exploding debris or suffering bone fractures after falling from a balance beam, yet their deaths also have a relatable quality as they occur in familiar work or living environments.

One noteworthy aspect is the incorporation of the butterfly effect, where each character's death is triggered by their own small actions. For instance, they might casually place a cigarette down, which leads to the ignition of a flammable object, or they may be overly cautious about a valuable watch and remove it while washing their hands, resulting in it falling into the sink. Then the characters become increasingly panicked and attempt to retrieve it but end up getting their hand stuck in the sink...

Of course, the "Final Destination" series has its shortcomings, as evidenced by the lack of new releases since the fifth installment in 2011 until the present year of 2023. I will delve into this issue further in the next article.