Bad storytelling and a lacking pace make this movie a rather weak and ultimately very forgettable one!

No need to dance around it; this movie is simply weak. It's never making an emotional impact with anything, which really is due to its story and the way it gets told in the movie.

The story in itself seems like a fairly simple and straightforward one but of course lots of story elements are added to it, that however never really click or work out as anything effective for the movie. The whole criminal subplot, the stuff involving the girl and her uncle, it just never works out too well. As a matter of fact, most of the stuff feels absolutely pointless and distracts far too much from the movie its main plot. It makes things even needlessly complicated and it makes the movie feel like a very messy at times.

It's all a bit hard to follow at times, not due to a clever or multi-layered script but due to how it all got written and told in the eventual movie. The movie is lacking a good setup and buildup to anything. You never really get behind the character's motivation in this one. It's therefore also really hard to ever care for any of the fight scenes in this movie. I don't really care, quite frankly, if the main character looses a cage fight, since I don't even really know why he's fighting and making a comeback, after spending 10 years in prison, in the first place. Money, to help another person out, seems to be the main motivation but is that really reason enough to get behind him? No, you need to like the guy as well and care for him. It doesn't even play its underdog cards that very well, since the main character is pretty much at the top of his game, from day one on already. There is never a doubt in your mind that he's going to end up victorious, every time he steps into the ring, or cage, or whatever.

Also the pacing ensure that this at all times feel like a lacking movie. It does not only let stuff just happen, it also lets stuff happen too fast. In the first five minutes, the main character is setup as a character, he then accidentally kills someone, he goes to jail, (apparantly for 10 years but there is no way you would guess that while just looking at the movie) he gets out of jail and starts picking up his life again. Now, this would have been fine if all of this was shown in a sort of montage but no, this is just how the movie its storytelling is, pretty much all throughout. It lets stuff just happen, in a far too fast and non-organic way.

You feel that this is the sort of movie that would have worked out better if it had a more realistic approach and tone to it. The "Warrior" treatment so to speak, in which you are able to get behind the characters because they seem like real persons, with real emotions and motivations and dealing with real life issues and problems as well. This movie however feature the sort of story and characters in it that make it seem like Hannibal, Face and the rest of the A-Team could show up at any moment, to get the main characters out of trouble and safe the day, once again.

Perhaps I'm sounding a bit too harsh, after all, I was never hating on this movie while watching it but there is simply absolutely no good reason why you should ever watch this movie. A poor story, weak storytelling, predictable developments and other formulaic elements. Don't even watch this movie expecting to get a good, uplifting or fun sports-movie. Trust me, I like sports-movie but this is one that I would never recommend watching, to anyone.

4/10

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(Review originally written at 30 May 2006)

In the '90's the Scream trilogy meant the revival of the horror genre and teen-horror in particular. After that lots of horror movie were created that all were very much alike and of average (at best) quality. "Final Destination" however is one fine exception and it distinct itself from other genre movies through its originality. I consider "Final Destination" to be one of the most refreshing and original horror movies of this decade.

It's not a horror movie with monsters or scary serial killers. It's a movie with an invisible villain; death itself, which is determined to kill everyone that escaped his clutches. It's a great and original concept that is executed even better as expected. The fact that the 'villain' is invisible provides the movie with some moments that makes this movie distinct itself from any other movie out of the same genre.

Reason why this movie was even better than I anticipated were the deaths in this movie. Every death in the movie is highly complex and wonderfully constructed and executed. You know something bad is going to happen but you never know how and when. Therefor the deaths and way of death all still come as a surprise. It makes the movie very tense and also both scary and gory to watch at times.

The movie starts of with a spectacular (but still obviously 'low' budget) plane crash. Fortunately after its beginning the movie doesn't loose any of its pace and the movie mostly remains spectacular to watch throughout its running time, which is only 98 minutes short.

All of the actors are obvious B-movie material, which is fine and works out really well for a genre movie like this one. Don't get me wrong, the acting is not bad but none of the actors will win any big award, or star in a blockbuster any time soon. Fine exception, I must admit, perhaps was Seann William Scott who plays a fun role and perhaps shows his very best acting skills yet, in this movie.

The movie has some awkward moments and some weak dialog and character treatment at times but thankfully it doesn't really make the movie any less entertaining or good to watch.

An highly recommendable, refreshingly original horror flick that surpasses almost every other horror movie of this decade, so far.

8/10

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