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Final Destination 2

Starring: A.J. Cook, Ali Larter
Director: David Ellis
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2003
Rating: 2 / 5

Final Destination may not have been a truly memorable film, but it was somewhat original and was able to hold the viewer’s attention. That being said, I do not believe anyone felt that the film called out for a sequel. Then again, in today’s Hollywood, little is required save an interested studio and visions of dollar signs. A couple years later, along comes Final Destination 2, likewise not a memorable film, but one possessing some of the more gasp-inspiring deaths in recent cinema history. Films like Braveheart may have more gruesome deaths, but few are as shocking – and, in some cases, unintentionally hilarious – as those contained in Final Destination 2.

Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook) is ready to driving to Daytona Beach with a group of friends when fate cruelly intervenes. Moments before pulling onto the highway, Kimberly is struck by a vision. In it, passing motorists, a local police officer, and her friends ultimately perish in a fiery multi-car pileup. When she snaps out of her daze, she immediately blocks traffic with her vehicle, determined to prevent her own death as well as those of her friends. When the highway collision happens in spite of her efforts, killing more than a handful of drivers (including her friends), Kimberly is a mixture of relief and fear. She and her new cohorts may have cheated death, but are they really safe?

The events in Final Destination 2 occur exactly one year to the day after the initial plane explosion that rocked the characters of Final Destination. The only survivor of that horror, Clear Rivers (Ali Larter), is voluntarily committed to a psychiatric ward, determined not to let Death come for her. Only after being harassed by a terror-stricken Kimberly does she agree to return from her self-imposed exile and help these new victims. Together, they begin to unravel Death’s design and begin to spot a whole new set of signs. As the survivors begin dying one by one – in rather horrific fashion – Kimberly is left to wonder if they will find an answer before Death claims them all.

At times, Final Destination 2 plays as little more than a Fox special, something likely to be titled World’s Most Painful Deaths. Without spoiling any of the particulars, let it be known that these gratuitous executions are the highlights of the film. Unfortunately, the deaths become less inspired and more hurried as the film progresses. It almost seems as though the producers became lazy as the film continued, determined to resolve the plot before the audience saw through it. The deaths alone may be worth the price of admission, but this film is certainly not for the faint of heart. Come to think of it, thoughts of another sequel are making this critic a little woozy.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for violence and language.
Running Time: 90 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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