FINAL DESTINATION

In IDLE HANDS, Devon Sawa performed in the non-biblically themed movie playing on the expression, “Idle hands are the devil’s plaything.” In FINAL DESTINATION, Devon Sawa improves to quasi-biblical, but still false, scares playing on the bible verse, “It is appointed unto man, a time to die once….” With several jump-out-of-your-seat scares and a rather complex examination of the fate of man, amidst a few teen-theme conventions, this movie doesn’t appear to venture into realms of the occult, but like BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and THE SIXTH SENSE, its neo-horror non-depiction of the tired bogey man standard to the genre, shields a more subtle and equally incorrect theology.

Sawa plays an ordinary high school senior named Alex, who’s about to embark on a French class plane trip to Paris with his classmates. Just prior to departure, he has a vivid and frightful premonition of the plane exploding. He creates a stir, trying to convince others to leave the plane with him, but in the process gets four other students and a teacher kicked off the flight. Angry over the scene, they are shocked to see the plane, in fact, explode after leaving the ground.

Now, Alex is considered a pariah, loathed and feared by most in his town. Though the FBI eventually dismisses him as a criminal suspect, he nevertheless discovers a pattern of who should have been killed in succession on that flight based on the explosion pattern. In fact, (you guessed it), one by one these who have cheated death are targeted by “fate” and/or “death” and are terminated by “natural” elements: accidents, household appliances going awry and even bad weather. Three ultimately escape when Alex figures out how to “cheat” death, but only after a nail-biting thrill ride and not without certain fears that death still lingers.

Those who enjoy a stalker, prom talk, make-out scenes, or even sex scenes in their teen horror movies will be disappointed here. Death, as a formless killer, is far more formidable and scary, because it can’t be known when it will strike again. Nevertheless, this movie is not at all for the queasy. A few very brutal and wicked deaths occur, which may leave lasting images in the minds of the viewer, including a bus taking out a girl and a strangulation scene. Furthermore, foul language also pervades the story.

To those who do not know Christ, death is the worst menace, the final closure on an eternity without hope. Yet, to those who are assured of their salvation, “to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Hence, a fear of death is not necessary. Though death never takes any form, Satan does come to steal, to kill and to destroy.

The progressive chaos depicted in this movie is far-fetched and could only be demonic if taken to the extremes depicted on screen. In fact, some mischievous water seems to return to its normal resting spot, as if cognizant of its nefarious task. Though it is appointed for man to die once, this movie eventually gets a little ridiculous in the lengths of random normal everyday objects falling apart, objects that otherwise are safe.

Talk of Satan is non-existent, as is any talk of a Spirit of death. God is mentioned, and perhaps even suggested as the author of death when a teenager says that “God would be f**ked up to take a plane down” filled with babies and beautiful young women. God is not the author of death, and many things happen on earth that is not part of His plan – namely sin. In fact, sin always, eventually, causes death. “The wages of sin is death.” Though Ecclesiastes is read at a funeral, a clear biblical examination of the nature of death is not explored. Improving on the normal jump and jiggle teen horror genre, it leaves a true look at horror back on the tarmac.