Final Destination Bloodlines Review
review
✦
review ✦
After a 14-year gap, Final Destination: Bloodlines returns to the screen not with a bang, but with a steady, confident nod to what made the franchise a cult favorite. Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, the sixth entry in the horror series doesn’t attempt to rewrite the rules—instead, it aims to honor them. That loyalty pays off in certain areas, especially for longtime fans, but it also limits just how far the film dares to evolve.
Final Destination Bloodlines (2025) | Warner Bros.
Creating a Vast Playground
Set across two generations, Final Destination Bloodlines follows Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a college student haunted by a nightmare of a 1968 tower collapse. The twist: her grandmother, Iris, survived that very disaster thanks to a premonition, much like the original film’s plane crash survivor, Alex Browning. The implication is chilling: the moment Iris dodged death decades ago, her family line became part of Death’s design. Now, as patterns reemerge, Stefani must unravel the truth of her legacy and stop the curse from consuming those she loves.
This generational setup is one of Bloodlines’ most compelling elements. Unlike earlier entries that largely centered on self-contained friend groups, this film introduces a multigenerational scope that adds emotional weight and raises intriguing questions about fate, inheritance, and moral responsibility. It’s a fresh narrative hook, and one that gives the story added structure—even if the execution doesn’t always match the ambition.
A Film That Respects Its Formula — Maybe a Little Too Much
From its earliest scenes, Bloodlines makes it clear that it's not interested in breaking the mold—and for better or worse, it doesn’t. The Rube Goldberg-style death sequences return in full force, turning innocuous settings like a family barbeque into stomach-churning chain reactions. If you’ve come for the creative kills, you won’t be disappointed. There’s a brutal joy in seeing how everyday objects become deadly, and the filmmakers have a strong command of suspense, often stretching the moments out with nail-biting precision (or overt comedy) before everything goes spectacularly wrong.
That said, the film’s middle act sags under the weight of its own exposition. As the characters dive deeper into the mechanics of Death’s plan, the dialogue becomes heavier, the pacing slower. Stefani, while a capable lead, lacks the memorability or presence of past protagonists like Devon Sawa’s Alex or Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Wendy. She’s competent but isn’t given enough personality to elevate the stakes. The ensemble of quirky supporting characters helps keep things afloat in this one—a throwback to the franchise's tradition of giving each death some personality—but few are given enough time to truly register.
And while the film does try to bring in new ideas (including the notion of generational trauma and a subtle questioning of predestination) these threads don’t fully evolve. The final third especially struggles, resolving with a combination of predictable reveals and convenient plot mechanics. It’s satisfying in a technical sense, but it lacks the surprise or thematic punch that the best entries in the series delivered.
A Beautiful Send-off to Tony Todd
But what Bloodlines may lack in reinvention, it nearly makes up for in reverence. That’s most evident in the return of Tony Todd, the voice and soul of the franchise. His character, William Bludworth, has always existed somewhere between cryptic narrator and grim reaper stand-in—and here, in his final appearance, he delivers his most powerful moment yet.
Reportedly unscripted, Todd’s send-off is haunting and heartfelt, landing with more emotional impact than anything else in the film. It’s not just a farewell to a character—it’s a goodbye to an icon who offered the genre some of its strongest contributions throughout his celebrated career. The moment is beautifully shot, restrained, and incredibly moving. In a franchise that’s rarely sentimental, this scene stands out as perhaps the most sincere and emotionally resonant of all six films. It reminds us that Final Destination has always been about more than just shock and gore—it’s about mortality, inevitability, and how we choose to face both.
Score: 6/10
Final Destination: Bloodlines is a middle chapter meant to preserve the legacy rather than rewrite it. The film may not fully soar, but it doesn’t fall short enough to derail what the franchise has built.
