Final Destination Bloodlines Review: Series’ Best Movie Yet

Photo Credit: Warner Bros (via MediaPass)

Final Destination Bloodlines proves that even six films in, this franchise still has life — and a whole lot of death — left in it. Directed with energy and a twisted sense of style by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, and written by Scream’s Guy Busick and Insidious: The Red Door’s Lori Evans Taylor, this latest installment doesn’t just rehash the series’ famous formula, but reconfigures it in ways that are fresh, eerie, and unexpectedly poignant. It’s the best Final Destination yet.

Traditionally, Final Destination movies have followed a clear pattern: someone has a sudden vision of a catastrophic accident, a group of people narrowly escapes, and then Death comes knocking, one brutally ironic kill at a time. It’s a formula that’s gifted us nightmares about planes (FD1), log trucks (FD2), roller coasters, tanning beds (FD3), acupuncture and laser eye surgery (FD5), and bad Final Destination movies (FD4). But Bloodlines smartly changes things: the premonition that sets everything in motion happened decades ago in 1968, not even to our main character.

Instead, Kaitlyn Santa Juana leads the film as a college student who inherits this long-forgotten premonition from her grandmother, and that generational twist gives Bloodlines a whole new sense of tension and urgency. Suddenly, the film isn’t just about fate coming for a group of survivors, it’s about whether some people should have ever existed at all. It’s a high-concept wrinkle that re-energizes the series with fresh stakes and a more layered mystery.

The kills? As nasty, inventive, and literally jaw-dropping as ever, with added dark comedy. By now, audiences are so familiar with Final Destination’s rhythm that the movie plays with our expectations, setting up elaborate sequences where you’re constantly guessing where the fatal blow will come from. It leans into that paranoia with gleeful menace, and the result is both terrifying and hilarious. Bloodlines knows we’ve been here before, and it uses that knowledge to deliver some of the cruelest, funniest, and most ironic deaths the series has ever cooked up. This movie is just as bloody as ever.

One of the biggest surprises here is how much you actually care about the characters. By centering the story on a family with real dynamics, emotional baggage, and deep connections, the film adds genuine weight to each death. It’s not just about who dies next, but what it means for the people left behind. Teo Briones, Rya Kihlstedt, Owen Patrick Joyner, and Richard Harmon all bring strong energy to the ensemble, making this feel like more than just another body count.

And then there’s Tony Todd. In his final screen performance, Todd returns once more as the enigmatic Bludworth, the franchise’s oracle long speculated to be the Grim Reaper himself. Much like its predecessors, he’s not in it for very long, but he leaves a remarkably lasting impression that finally offers long-awaited insight into who Bludworth really is. His scenes are eerie, poetic, and weighty in a way that honors both the actor and the legacy of his role. If this is truly Todd’s swan song, it’s a chillingly perfect one.

What makes Final Destination Bloodlines just as good as its predecessors, if not better, is how masterfully it builds tension through atmosphere and anticipation. Lipovsky and Stein stage each set piece like a Rube Goldberg machine from hell, but with a tighter grip on suspense than some of the more chaotic entries in the series. You feel the dread building in every frame, and the camera lingers just long enough to make your skin crawl. The screenplay does a great job of misdirecting you, making you think the kill will happen one way and then completely surprising you. The kills may still be over-the-top, but the lead-up to them is handled with the kind of precision that turns any scene into a nerve-shredding experience.

The movie also benefits from a stronger emotional throughline than most horror sequels even attempt. Santa Juana delivers a grounded and empathetic performance as a young woman trying to make sense of a legacy she never asked for. Her connection to her grandmother’s past isn’t just a plot device; it’s a haunting exploration of generational trauma and destiny. By weaving those personal stakes into the larger supernatural framework, Bloodlines finds a richer emotional core that makes every loss hit a little harder. The deaths feel like they matter more, even if they’re still pretty damn fun.

In the end, Final Destination Bloodlines doesn’t just justify its existence; It earns its place as the best entry in the franchise. It manages to be both a love letter to longtime fans and a bold new chapter that dares to reimagine what a Final Destination movie can be, while giving us all the insane, over-the-top, brutal violence we expect. It’s scary, hilarious, emotionally resonant, and, most importantly, fun. Just don’t go into any tall buildings afterwards. And take the stairs, because I don’t know how I’ll ever step foot into an elevator again after this.

SCORE: 8/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.

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Disclosure: ComingSoon attended an early screening for our Final Destination Bloodlines review.

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