(Review originally written at 8 June 2006)
In this case, more of the same, is not a bad thing. Basically the movie its plot is just the same as in "Final Destination", only with different characters and settings this time. I however feel that the Final Destination franchise is one of the few horror-movie franchises that can have multiple sequels, without loosing any of its power or originality. The concept of the movie can be used over and over again; a person has a vision of an upcoming accident which will lead to the death of several people. Thanks to that vision the person prevents himself/herself and others from dying. They cheat death but the death eventually catches up with them again, as every person that should had died during the accident, dies one by one.
"Final Destination" had a plane crash, "Final Destination 2" has a highway pileup. Sounds smaller and less impressive but it really isn't. The car crashes are massive and awesomely choreographed and filmed. It truly honestly is one of the very best and certainly most spectacular car crashes out of cinema history. You have to see it to believe it.
It's one of the things in the movie that makes it obvious that this time they had a far bigger budget to spend, compared to the first movie. Not only the beginning is more spectacular, also the deaths later on in the movie are better constructed and especially better looking and more graphic. The story and concept of the movie might not be original anymore but the death certainly are. It makes "Final Destination 2" a wonderful sequel that still can be original and surprising, even when you've already seen the first movie.
The movie however makes a crucial mistake. Basically the movie has a fresh story with new characters and settings but yet it feels the need to constantly refer to the events in the first movie and even bring back a character from the first movie. A quick reference to the events in the first movie would have sufficed but instead the movie heavily relies on the events of the first movie. It makes the movie a bit hard and less understandable to watch for persons who haven't seen the first movie. Basically every Final Destination movie should be a movie on its own, with new characters and settings every time. I haven't seen part 3 yet but I hope they haven't made the same mistake there.
But really, who cares about the story in a movie like this. Basically all that makes this movie good and original are the deaths that are featured in it. They are extremely graphic and quite brilliantly put together. You just never know what is going to happen, which helps to make the sequences tense as well as scary. It doesn't really matter that the characters aren't really interesting and the story is quite unlikely and far fetched at certain moments.
An highly recommendable horror sequel but perhaps only if you've also seen the first movie.
7/10
Watch trailer
No comments: