MovieChat Forums > Final Destination 3 (2006) Discussion > This is the best movie in the series

This is the best movie in the series

posted 8 years ago by ohsnapitskale
12 replies | jump to latest

The first is a close second, but it's characters are a BIT two-dimensional compared to this entry. Granted, Frankie is as two-dimensional as they come, but the film did a good job of fleshing out the other characters. I loved the callbacks. For example, Carrie telling Wendy that she planned to dump Kevin after graduation, and then later in the film, after Carrie dies, Kevin telling Wendy that he planned on proposing to her after graduation. Or when Wendy tells Kevin that they don't even like each other, and that if it had not been for Jason and Carrie, they wouldn't have even hung out. Then, later in the film, Wendy tells Kevin that she won't be able to stop worrying about him and Kevin responds "Why? We don't even like each other." Ashley and Ashlyn are also a lot of fun to watch. The way they self-congratulate each other on inviting Wendy to the tanning salon was hilarious. I also laughed when one of them said that they just want to look their best for all the dead kids who wouldn't make it to graduation. Or how about the way Ashley gave a once-over to the girl leaving the tanning salon as they came in? Though they come off as air-heads, they're fun to watch because they resonate. Everyone knows someone like them. They also have, in my opinion, the best deaths in the entire series. The Love Rollercoaster song was a perfect callback to the roller coaster accident from the beginning of the film. I also have a lot of love for Ian and Erin. Again, character types that everyone knows. Both smart and quirky people. Lewis, of course, was the jock, but came off as a real person too. Most of these characters look stereotypical, but are actually well written. To me, this entry was Glen Morgan and James Wong's pinnacle Final Destination film. The first was their warm-up. And while I have a nostalgic place in my heart for the first one, with this one, they knew what they wanted and succeeded brilliantly. It's a dark ride, but it's a lot of fun too, and it resonates.

2 was meh. It does have the most well done opening accident sequence though(my personal favorite goes to 3. Who hasn't been afraid of dying on a roller coaster?).

4 was an abomination
Poor David Ellis

5 was ok. The ending was the best part about it. What a perfect twist.

That is all.

[–] Dan_Garten 8 years ago

This was the fan favorite for years. Maybe it still is, I'm not sure.

[–] alexandermcn 8 years ago

Has and always will be my favourite. Man how I wish I was 13 again, sneaking into this just before it started and having an absolute blast.

I've got a lot of love for FD3 and many others do as well...I think this is the entry where they really knew what truly worked for the formula, taking the best elements of the first two and weaving them together. The dark macabre atmosphere of the original is very much present, and the black humour of the second gets worked in as well - and the result is a better paced, more entertaining thrill ride (no pun intended).

[–] ronkeopke 8 years ago

I love this one also. It does seem to be the best out of them all

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] FilmsTV101 8 years ago

Agreed. I don't understand the 5.8

[–] Fawkes_Rocks 8 years ago

I am in the middle of this one right now and so far it's OK. I think the roller coaster deaths are a little week compared to the first two which had a plane blowup and an epic car pile up. But I am finding everything after the death premonition better than the other two movies. And I like the two main characters more as well. Btw how much am I missing by watching this on TV?

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Agreed.

This is the best Final Destination film.

[–] bobbydallas (8515) 3 years ago

i'd put 3 right after 1
then 2

then watch paint dry
then watch curling
then stare at the sun,

and then watch 5..... and then skip 4, altogether.
and then skip 4

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

I think there are a number of reasons why this one stands out;

- It's shot in anamorphic widescreen and just as a whole seems to be a bigger budget, glossier production than 1 and 2. I was surprised this had the same budget as those ones. They got a lot of bang for their buck. The fashion as well has aged slightly better. On my most recent rewatch of FD2 I found some of the fashion to be ghastly and extremely early-00s. FD3 is a bit dated now, but it holds up better than 1 and 2, visually.

- The cast is arguably the best of the franchise. It's my prefered one anyway. MEW is a big part of that but Ryan Merriman did a great job too. They were sympathetic leads who had chemistry.

- It has some of the most iconic death sequences in the franchise. When I think of FD death sequences the first to come to mind is the freeway pile up in FD2, after that comes the rollercoaster and sunbeds from FD3 plus the airplane from FD1. Having 2 out of the top 4 is no slight feat.

- The photographs hinting at how they die is a clever little plot device. It's a very memorable aspect of this one, I remember talking to my sibling about the films and he even recalled that part some 15 years after release. FD3 will always be easily recalled as the one with the rollercoaster, sunbeds and the photographs showing their deaths.

- It's extremely fast paced and thrilling. It wasn't made to horrify the world, to acheive critical accalim or reinvent the wheel, it was made to entertain the fans and it does so greatly. Nice and short, with the credits running at 1hr27mins. I watched it last night alongside Army of Darkness and Child's Play, both great films but the mid-00s pacing is notable in this one when watched alongside older films. I think pacing probably peaked with regards to speed around this time period. I know some would consider the films of today as the fastest ever, but for Horror there's the whole 'elevated horror', slow-burn, hipster trend at the moment which is definitely slower than films like FD3.

[–] Patman111196 (1775) 2 years ago

I'd have to say the only criticisms of this one is that there isn't any complex plot or storyline like the first two, many characters are unlikable, and it's of my opinion that the first film still tops the acting here in general. That being said, this is done more better than your typical horror sequel. Many of the sequences were beautifully done and the deaths were quite good for a gore movie.