Final Destination 5

  • Review Date: August 12, 2011
  • R
  • Genre: Horror
  • 2011
 Review

Common Sense Media says

More elaborate, inevitable deaths in grisly, gory franchise.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is the fifth entry in a gory horror franchise that made the intensity-upping move to 3D with the previous entry, The Final Destination. As always, the killer here is death itself, which stalks a group of teens and/or twentysomethings without remorse or recourse -- and with tons of blood and gore. Characters are brutally sliced, stabbed, burned, dropped from heights, crushed, and snapped in half. There's also a bit of kissing and sexual innuendo, some language (including "f--k" and "s--t"), and some drinking.
  • Death is an unknowable, unstoppable force; it determines that the time has come for eight twentysomething professionals and kills them off relentlessly. No amount of good, evil, bravery, or empathy will stop it.
  • The hero shows bravery and responsibility from time to time but also some selfishness. The rest of the characters don't fare as well.
  • The movie is focused on gruesome death for entertainment's sake: The more shocking, the better. Characters are stabbed, sliced, and battered. They fall from great heights and splat on the ground. They snap in half. Flesh is burned. Skulls are impaled. One character is seared with a laser intended for eye surgery. All of this is presented in 3D, with sharp, deadly things protruding from the screen and into the audience. The end credits include a montage of the grisliest scenes from the first four films in the series.
  • Characters kiss, and there's some minor sexual innuendo. One female character dresses in revealing clothing; she takes off her top to reveal a skimpy, black bra.
  • Language isn't constant, but "f--k" is heard more than once. Other words include "s--t," "t-ts," "hell," "damn," "oh my God," and "a--hole."
  • Not applicable.
  • Characters drink beer and whisky to blow off steam after a tragedy. One character appears to drink too much, and it affects him negatively.

What's the story?

A group of employees from Presage Paper prepares to go on a business retreat. Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto), who would rather be a chef than a salesman, has a fearful premonition while riding on the bus; a bridge collapses, killing dozens. Acting quickly, he saves his girlfriend, Molly (Emma Bell), his boss (David Koechner), and five other co-workers. Unfortunately, since they were supposed to die on the bridge, death begins stalking them one by one, killing them in "random" accidents. Can the survivors discover a way to break the chain?


Is it any good?

 

Thanks to the huge success of the fourth and "final" The Final Destination, FINAL DESTINATION 5 became an inevitability. It's the feature directorial debut of Steven Quale, who was a second-unit director on Avatar and also helmed Aliens of the Deep; he has lots experience with 3D. Not surprisingly, then, the use of 3D here is pretty good -- especially the smashing title sequence.

 

More oddly, the movie itself is also a bit better than its predecessors (though that's not really saying that much). The characters are a bit more sympathetic and humorous, and, unlike in the fourth film, they tend to show empathy for their fallen friends and co-workers. The death sequences, as always, are elaborate Rube Goldberg-like traps, with misdirection and deception at every turn. It's fascinating that these sequences tend to elicit a squirmy, giggly reaction from audiences rather than dread or terror. This is a purely cathartic, visceral experience, not having anything to do with characters or plot. But other than that, any redeeming social value is negligible.

 

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. How does the 3D affect the impact of the movie's gory, grisly murder scenes? Is any of it intended to be realistic?

  • Why would audiences want to see a movie like this? Is there something cathartic about facing death in this way?

  • Are humans really subject to fate, or do we have free will? How much control do we really have over our lives?


This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Teen, 13 years old
August 24, 2011
 
Not that bad.
OK- let me start of by saying Common Sense went a little overboard with the whole "Not For Kids" thing. I saw this movie today and I didn't think it was that bad. I mean yea, there was violence, people did get impaled and brutally killed but there wasn't as much blood as in previous films. The most gory scene was probably the acupuncture scene where all the needles get shoved into him and it still wasn't as gory as what has been shown in the past. They're not showing people's insides in this one so it is not as gross as you would think. As for the plot, this one was MUCH better than the fourth and third installments to the series. The ending was actually great! Especially if you have seen the previous films. I think most people 13 or older could handle this movie.

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Teen, 16 years old
August 15, 2011
 
Final Destination series gets a little better...
I, personally, am a fan of the series, and I, after seeing all of them, know that these are definitely not for the faint of heart. Kids should not see this; the violence will most likely will be too much for them too handle. Now I would like to make several points about this film. First off, this probably the best entry in the series, and if they end it now, they would be ending in a much higher note than the last one did. Secondly, I like the fact that they did not have any sex scenes (which the last one had). Also, although gory, this isn't the goriest in the series. More blood is shown here than actual insides of people (which the last one showed alot of). Another thing is, swearing isn't much of an issue here. The f-word is only used about 4 or 5 times, and not in sexual meaning. And the last and most important point is that this movie puts a several surprise twists. One thing I also noticed is that the kills were more surprising; you'd expect them to die in one way, but they die in another. You will never see them coming. this movie is also somewhat--and thankfully--unpredictable. And if you are a fan of the series, you will probably and most likely like the ending. Now when it comes to 3-D overall its alright. The best 3-D is probably in the opening credits when things fall through the screen and glass shatters all over. So, personally, I would give this movie a 4 out of 5 star rating, but professionally a 2 out of 5 star rating. If your a fan of the series or you just like horror movies with not much of a great story, you'll most likely enjoy this film and its originality. If your care about good stories or are easily nauseated, you won't probably like this.

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Adult
August 12, 2011
 
Not a "Family Movie!"
I would not suggest this to younger children, I just watched it today with my friends, and even they were grossed out!. It is a very, very gory movie! I suppose I would recommend this movie if you are into the FD series, or want the thrills, but I would not say to take your 4 year old to watch it, because that is too much. I personally thought it was....interesting, I am a fan of the FD series, and I am 22 years old. Its pretty gross! (:

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Kid, 12 years old
August 12, 2011
 
Shouldn't be "not for kids"
i think kids SHOULD be able to watch it....although they can....i will

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Kid, 12 years old
September 3, 2011
 
Okay for middle-age teens and up
this movie is one of the goriest movies ever. it honestly has nothing bad. a lady takes of this skimpy shirt and reveals her bra but she is outside and nothing was thought of it. it has alot of violence. Tripple violence. there is alot of cussing just one seen of a guy smoking and adults drinking wine on a date

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Adult
August 16, 2011
 
It's all about your ability to handle it. Spoilers including all the death scenes!!!!
Overall, it's no worse or more brutal in my opinion then 2-4 except the deaths are a little more realistic. Horror movies shouldn't be based on violent content but by how strong your stomach is to handle seeing it. Language and sexual content is nothing at all in the movie i didn't even notice any swearing. *Spoilers* (read this only if you want to know all the deaths to judge and prepare yourself) Premontion: A girl is impaled on a ship mast when the bridge collapses, a man is pushed against the front of a bus when it falls off the bridge and it hits water killing him, a woman falls into the water safely and then a car falls off the bridge killing her, a wire from the bridge swings violently graphically kills a man (gory), hot tar burns a mans body leaving him all bloody and then he falls off the bridge, rebars are released off a truck and impaled through a mans head and body and then he hits the base of the bridge with a very gory result, a metal sheet slices a man in half. Death scenes (BIG SPOILERS,ONLY READ IF YOU WANT TO PREPARE): -A girl steps on a nail on a balance beam and then falls into a bowl of powder blinding another girl swinging on an gymnastics bar causing her to release falling awkwardly and graphically snapping in half with her legs curled over her head and her bones broken piercing through the leg. (Gruesome and very gory) -A man recieves acupuncture and a fire causes him to fall from the bed having the needles pierce through his body, he wakes up removes a needle (bloody) and crawls from a fire and then a Buddah statue from the wall falls crushing his head only leaving him with a bloody stump. (in my opinion the goriest scene) - after a laser eye surgery procedure goes wrong, a girl is cut in the eye by the laser and then tries to shield it with her hand only causing more bloody scars due to the laser. the doctor and two other people walk in and her eye is very bloody, she then steps on a teddy bears eye causing her heel to break and falls out the window of the building onto a car. Her eye rolls into the street and is hit by a car (squishing is heard) -a man grabs on to a falling hook and is impaled through the chin and then the hook pierces out through the top of his head (surprising) -a wrench is hurled from a fan into a mans skull (the wrench is seen through his eye area and it is very graphic and unexpected) - a man kills another man with a large cooking skewer like object through his back and out through is chest (made for the 3D) -a plane explodes killing hundreds -a girl thrown from the plane is cut in half by the planes wing (brutal) -a man is burnt to death in the planes fire -the wheel from the plane crushes a man in a bar and his hand is thrown into the screen (comedic) On top of the graphic death scenes there are many surprise scenes that will make you jump such as a meat blender so be ready and have a strong stomach but in reality if you've seen the previous films you'll be able to handle it!

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Teen, 15 years old
August 12, 2011
 
don't waste your time
dumb movie don't waste your time

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Parent
August 17, 2011
 
Great movie for all ages
Come on, really? Is this REALLY that BAD?

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Kid, 12 years old
August 29, 2011
 
What I Heard... NOOOOO!!!! :(
Let me put it in words for you. SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I could quadruple the violence button id do it a million times. Stay AWAY!!! kids its a no no

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Adult
August 13, 2011
 
Better than number 4
Yeah, I'll say this, this was a pleasant surprise... it wasn't the worst in the franchise. See, up until FD4, every film from this franchise was weaker than its predecessor. FD1 I thought was good as it was actually scary, FD2 felt more like a comedy but wasn't terrible, FD3 was just flat-out bad, FD4 was a piece of garbage... this one's more along the lines of the second Final Destination, not exactly good but not a horrid piece of garbage either. If you're a fan of this franchise, I actually recommend this one.

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This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Studios:New Line, Warner Bros.
Director:Steven Quale
Cast:David Koechner, Emma Bell, Nicholas D'Agosto
Genre:Horror
Run time:92 minutes
Theatrical release date:August 12, 2011
DVD release date:December 27, 2011
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong violent/gruesome accidents, and some language

This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
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GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
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