FINAL DESTINATION - 'FD in 3D'

FINAL DESTINATION (action thriller, in 3-D in selective cineplexes)
Cast: Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Haley Webb, Nick Zano, Krista Allen, Andrew Fiscella and Mykelti Williamson
Director: David R. Ellis
Time: 80 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)


PREAMBLE: This is the fourth instalment of the Final Destination franchise. The film-makers have left out the sequel numeral (4) from the title - but let's hope it is really the FINAL edition and not just a tease. Actually, this 'FD in 3D' boasts the novelty of showing blood and body parts flying at the faces of the viewers.

Other than that, the movie gets tiresome after the first few action pieces.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Nick O'Bannon (Bobby Campo) has a premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes some of the race cars to crash at a NASCAR race, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him.

When he comes out of this grisly nightmare, Nick persuades his girlfriend, Lori (Shantel VanSanten), and their friends, Janet and Hunt (Haley Webb and Nick Zano), to leave. They escape seconds before Nick's frightening vision becomes a reality.

Thinking they've cheated Death, the group has a new lease on life, but for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning. As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one-in increasingly gruesome ways, Nick must figure out how to cheat Death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination.

HITS & MISSES: Director David R. Ellis is no stranger to the franchise, having helmed Final Destination 2 and Snakes On A Plane. However, he brings nothing new or creative to this movie other than aiming stuff at the audience. The scenes are not as funny as Snakes On A Plane - and not even as suspenseful.

The cast of youngsters seem to have been picked for the way they scream and only help to add to the body count. Basically, we don't care what happens to them. Only Mykelti Williamson (of TV's 24 and CSI: NY) gives his character some depth, playing a widowed security guard who has issues with alcoholism. The script, written by Eric Bress (based on characters created by Jeffrey Reddick) could well have been written on the back of a paper napkin while having drinks at the pub.

THE LOWDOWN: This slipshod sequel will probably attract curious youths on opening weekend but is destined for the DVD market.