Final Destination Bloodlines recently got a Rotten Tomatoes score, and it is good news for the franchise. The Final Destination movies began back in 2000, first introducing audiences to the story of a group of people trying to escape a literal manifestation of Death. Since this debut, the film has spawned five sequels, with Bloodlines coming out after a 14-year hiatus. Like the previous movies, the sixth installment will situate Death as the villain, this time haunting a college student who is trying to escape a violent cycle.

Previous Final Destination installments were directed by James Wong and David R. Ellis, with Final Destination 5 being directed by Steven Quale. Bloodlines takes a break from the franchise’s previous directors, putting Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein at the helm. With the Final Destination Bloodlines cast including Tony Todd, Brec Bᴀssinger, April Telek, Richard Harmon, and Rya Kihlstedt, the franchise’s hiatus will end soon, but it appears that decision may have been worth the risk.

Final Destination Bloodlines Set The Franchise’s Best Rotten Tomatoes Score By Miles

It Has A 93% Tomatometer

Final Destination Bloodlines had its Rotten Tomatoes score revealed, and it is getting great reviews so far. At the time of writing, the film has a 93% Tomatometer from the 59 critics who have reviewed it thus far. This score comes after the movie had an extremely positive initial reaction in early screenings. One of the positive reviews came from ScreenRant‘s Nadir Samara, who gave the film an 8 out of 10 and referred to the movie as a “phenomenal reboot” that “isn’t afraid to take chances.”

This Tomatometer positions Bloodlines as the highest-rated movie in the franchise by a long sH๏τ. The next highest was Final Destination 5, which had a solid 63% Tomatometer. The remaining installments received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, leading to most of them being designated as “rotten” on the aggregate site. So far, critics are praising Final Destination Bloodlines for its use of a clever hook and high concept. Variety‘s Todd Gilchrist noted that the movie had “fiendishly inventive kills,” appreciating what Lipovsky and Stein bring to the supernatural horror genre. These factors show that the movie is a worthy sequel and breathes new life into the franchise.

Final Destination 6 Comes 14 Years After The Last Installment

The Film Faced Some Production Changeovers

Final Destination Bloodlines comes after a long hiatus. Previously, the gap between Final Destination movies was no longer than three years apart. Given that it has grown into a major horror franchise since 2000, this consistent release meant that the franchise had momentum until 2011. However, Bloodlines comes 14 years from the last release, which meant that the franchise was noticeably absent throughout the 2010s.

This was not always the plan for the Final Destination movies. Originally, Final Destination 5 and 6 were supposed to be filmed back-to-back. A series of delays ensued, and eventually the COVID-19 pandemic led the project to be pushed out even further. The script went through multiple iterations, and at one point was set to be co-written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan as a “re-imagining” of the franchise (via The Hollywood Reporter). The script later changed hands to Lori Evans Taylor, Jon Watts, and Gary Busiak.

For some movies, writer changes can be the harbinger of doom. This can disrupt a project and lead it to stray away from its initial direction or idea. For Final Destination: Bloodlines, however, it seems like the creative changes ultimately worked to its benefit, as critics are now complimenting its story. It may have taken 14 years to get to the screen, but the team it settled on was a good one.

The 14-Year Gap May Pay Off For Final Destination Bloodlines But The Real Test Is Box Office

Was The Gap Too Long?

While the franchise kept audiences waiting for a long time, the Final Destination hiatus may pay off for Bloodlines. Combined with the story updates, the film could feel like a novel horror film rather than a rehashing of the same tropes. Repeтιтion was something that the original pentalogy struggled with, but the praise of Bloodlines‘ creative kills makes it seem like this is not a problem.

Ultimately, the extent of Final Destination Bloodlines‘ success will hinge on how well it does at the box office. While the 14-year gap could help the movie feel new, the Final Destination series may have also lost audience interest along the way. Final Destination 5 managed to take home $157.8 million at the worldwide box office, which is strong considering the movie’s $40 million budget. This is one of the numbers to beat for Bloodlines, which has already surpᴀssed its predecessors in critical reception.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter