I believe "Final Destination" (2000) was a widely misunderstood film. On its face, it seems to be a generic, unbelievable
horror film about teens who get killed, with thin characters and wooden dialogue. Upon further examination, though, it becomes clear that the filmmakers -- "X-Files" veterans James Wong and Glen Morgan -- intended it that way. They want us to laugh with the film, not at it. Surely these guys, being responsible for many genre-defying episodes of a genre-defying TV series, know "lame horror flick" when they see one. "Final Destination" was not meant to be taken seriously, but as a wickedly dark spoof that, like "X-Files," successfully blended mockery of horror with actual horror. On that level, it was a decent piece of entertainment. Now comes the depressing and obligatory sequel, made by new, inexperienced people, featuring almost none of the faces from the original, and using not a continuation of the first film's plot, but THE SAME PLOT, recast with different characters. It is wearisome to contemplate Hollywood's dearth of good ideas. The story is that a teen-age girl named Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook) foresees a horrific traffic accident in a vision, acts accordingly, and prevents the deaths of nine or 10 people who would have otherwise perished. But this messes with Death's design -- when it's your time to go, it's your time to go -- and soon Death, merry prankster that he is, begins killing off the survivors anyway, using increasingly elaborate and ghastly methods.
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