With my new novel coming out in December, I thought it would be fun to start writing about the kinds of stories I enjoy most — movies, books, and TV shows. Sometimes that will mean reviews of what I just watched, other times it’ll be lists of old favorites.

And what better way for a Christian conservative suspense writer to kick off a Substack than with….the Final Destination movies? Not because they’re great cinema (they aren’t), but because my wife and I recently binged the whole series.

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These films are technically classified as horror, but I’d call them anything but scary. There’s no real suspense — you always know exactly what’s coming. Each one follows the same formula: a big disaster, a group of survivors, and then a string of over-the-top, comically gory deaths. Predictable? Absolutely. Entertaining? Weirdly, yes.

Final Destination Movies (in release order)

1. Final Destination (2000)
Alex Browning has a vision that his plane will explode after takeoff. He and several others get off the flight, but Death begins stalking them in the order they were supposed to die.

The first two movies look a little dated, probably because of the film stock. Ali Larter and Seann William Scott were the only recognizable names for us. Part of the fun was Googling each cast afterward to see what else they had been in. (Answer: not much.)

2. Final Destination 2 (2003)
Kimberly Corman foresees a massive highway pileup and stops traffic, saving lives. But soon, survivors are picked off in bizarre chain-reaction accidents.

This is the “car pile-up one.” I liked how it tied back to the first film. It also made me paranoid about how many death traps exist in my own house. This might be the only one where the characters actually figure out Death’s plan and survive. The movie introduces the idea that if you die and are revived, you can cheat Death — a theme that comes back later in the series. It might also end the movie on the funniest death in the franchise.

3. Final Destination 3 (2006)
Wendy Christensen foresees a deadly roller coaster crash. Survivors escape, but Death comes calling again. Wendy tries to use photos as clues to stop it.

We actually started here. It was fun seeing Ryan Merriman (an Oklahoma City native, like me). He was also in Deep End of the Ocean with Michelle Pfeiffer. Unlike some of the others, this movie doesn’t really try to tie back into the earlier films.

4. The Final Destination (2009)
Nick O’Bannon has a vision of a horrific racetrack crash. He and others survive, but Death keeps pace.

This is the “race-track one.” The stadium seemed way too small — maybe 200 people tops — which made it hard to take seriously. But I’ll give it credit: the theater scene at the end was pretty good.

5. Final Destination 5 (2011)
Sam Lawton foresees a suspension bridge collapse. Survivors escape, but the film cleverly ties back to the original movie.

This is the “bridge collapse one.” The twist at the end really surprised me and tied things together in a clever way. Honestly, it’s the only one I’d definitely consider rewatching. Well, who am I kidding — I’d probably rewatch them all, because they’re so ridiculous they’re funny.

6. Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)
College student Stefani Reyes inherits visions from her grandmother Iris, who prevented a skyscraper collapse in 1969. Death now hunts not only the original survivors but their descendants.

My son saw this one in theaters. He thought it might be different, but it wasn’t. The “bloodline” angle is new, but it’s still the same setup: people who should be dead trying to stay alive… and failing.

The Formula That Works

Each Final Destination runs about 90 minutes, and the structure never changes:

First third: the disaster

Middle third: the chain of crazy deaths

Final third: the last survivors fighting to cheat fate

It’s predictable, but in a good way. These movies don’t require much thought — just grab popcorn (or ice cream) and laugh at the absurdity. More than once I paused a movie, shocked that an hour had already flown by.

Recently, on Down to Dunk (one of my favorite OKC Thunder podcasts), one of the hosts said he loves the series because it’s so funny. I nodded in agreement. Many of the deaths are so outrageously tragic they become downright comedic.

My Movie Ratings

Thirty years ago, I started a spreadsheet rating every movie I’ve ever seen — and I still keep it updated. I just added all of these to the list. Final Destination 5, my highest rated of them all, landed in the top 39% of movies I’ve watched. Honestly, that feels high, because none of these are what I’d call “good” films. And yet, I binged the last five in a single week. Clearly, they’ve got something going. They’re unique.

The Christian / Conservative / Moral Component

Part of my ratings always includes a Christian/Moral/Political category. What struck me about this series is that, despite being about death, it never really got dark in a spiritual sense. A mysterious coroner shows up with cryptic warnings, but Death itself isn’t treated as anything beyond the inevitable fate we all face in God’s timing.

Yes, the films are gory, and a couple include gratuitous nudity. But overall, the series avoids deeper nihilism or glorifying evil. They’re simply outrageous, over-the-top “what if” stories built on one strange question: what happens if you cheat death?

Coming Next…

For my next few posts, I plan on talking about a Netflix series and Amazon movie, plus explore the question of “Has Hollywood really run out of ideas?”

Thanks for reading and forward to friends and family who you think may also enjoy this kind of content.

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