For much of the 2000s into the early 2010s, the horror genre was in a cycle of producing remakes and reimaginings of similar horror stories we’ve seen before. They began pumping out remakes of slasher classics, the Saw franchise found box office success at the Halloween box office, and international horror won over critics. The most definitive franchise of the 2000s though came not in the form of a slasher, but an entity known as “death” and they wreaked havoc on accident survivors in the Final Destination franchise.
Across 5 films, the Final Destination films focused on a group of strangers who survive an accident after one of them has visions of what is about to happen. Following their survival, they begin to be killed off in an order, and they must fight the clock to try and beat death at its own game.
The franchise began in 2000 with Final Destination, and since then saw 4 sequels from 2003 – 2011. Together, all films have grossed over a killer $665 million at the global box office.
In recent news, Saw writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan have been hired by New Line Cinema to bring the franchise back to life. Sources are saying it will not be a remake or reboot, but reimagine the story with new characters and stories in their own universe.
In wake of this news, I have decided to revisit the franchise, which is mostly known for its painful and expansive death sequences which see our beloved characters in terrible pain, especially in every day situations where we consider ourselves safe. These films take our every day fears and bring them to life in the most terrible ways imaginable. Drive-thru. Tanning bed. Laser eye surgery. Amusement parks. Places we typically feel safe, we no longer feel the same about following these films. This franchise explores these themes and expands on them.
I want to begin by saying, no, I’m not psychotic. I don’t find joy in watching these deaths happen, much like I don’t enjoy Saw movies. However, I do enjoy the twists and turns this franchise managed to create with very limited space. The films did keep you on your toes, and you can have fun with these terrible deaths if you suspend all disbelief of what is happening.
Also, I did not include the initial accidents in this ranking. That was too many pointless characters to consider and honestly too much work ya know? So I just did all deaths following the vision and the actual accident happening.
Also, SPOILERS! If you have not seen these 2000s gems I highly recommend watching them before coming to this blog, THEY’RE SO MUCH FUN, and SPOILERS galore are to follow!
Alright let’s get in to the gore, shall we?
40. Alex Browning (Final Destination 2) | Cause: Fallen Brick
Alex was the protagonist of the original film, and for the sequel to not include him (which I think was in part to Devon Sawa) but to just kill him off with a falling brick… A protagonist and the original character of the franchise… I felt cheated.
39. Brian (Final Destination 2) | Cause: BBQ Explosion
The second film in the franchise isn’t off to a good start, huh? Don’t worry, it redeems itself. This death was more tongue-in-cheek than anything else. Kimberly and Tom are all happy that they’ve survived, until they find out that the family’s son was a missing link in their scheme, cue dramatic looks and BOOM! It’s kind of stupid and unnecessary in the end.
38. George (The Final Destination) | Cause: hit by ambulance
The fourth – and originally final – film in the franchise is a mess, especially since it was at the prime of the 3D movie-going experience. This one is just so stupid and really pissed me off I thought it was a joke in 2009… ten years later I’m still pissed. It feels cheap and a way to cut down runtime and write off an important character.
37. Clear Rivers (Final Destination 2) | Explosion
I promise, this film does redeem itself. That being said, this scenario felt like a weak way to kill off two birds with one stone (you’ll see what I mean below). It is a lot of hype built up around one character, and in a moment where a big protagonist, Clear – who survived the first film too and is a major part of the second film – is killed off for saving someone. It is emotional and unfair. It ranks below the other character who dies because she is the mother f*cking protagonist.
36. Eugene (Final Destination 2) | Explosion
Eugene is an asshole the entire movie, so there is no real emotional turmoil in his death, but what could have been a tense – but unfortunate – moment in the film and a turning point for his character, is ruined when you think he survives but is ultimately killed by a leaking gas and a tripped cord.
35. Jonathan (The Final Destination) | Crushed by hot tub
Yes, you read the cause correctly. In a franchise, where a lot of the times people may say “that would never happen”, this is one of the scenes where I literally said absolutely not. A) A nurse would never leave a patient like that B) A hospital would never flood without someone noticing C) Equipment would never fail without someone noticing… It is just the ultimate personification of improbability in the franchise.
34. Nick, Lori, Janet (The Final Destination) | Cause: hit by truck
Again, a case of three protagonists meeting an end that is completely unnecessary. This scene was part of the films reshoots, and I struggle with wondering why they thought this was a solid conclusion. After thinking they’ve survived, a transport truck slams through a cafe and kills the three survivors. It climbed its way up the ranking though for how it depicts their crushing end: through a collection of x-rays that shows their bones crushing and twisting.
33. Dennis (Final Destination 5) | Cause: skull crushed by wrench
The fifth – and so far final – film is the best of them. It is clever in how it sets up its characters deaths and this one is not bad, just the worst of the lot. When they finally conclude that there is a system to the deaths, they wonder who may be next… THEN BAM! A wrench gets twisted and thrown at Dennis, crushing his skull across his eyes. It is a perfect example of what makes the franchise so surprising.
32. Perry (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Impaled by flag pole
The third film is the second best honestly, and much like Dennis in the fifth film, this one also caught people off guard. It does feel like a cheap attempt to add some more blood to the film, but it is part of the surprise when you find out the protagonist, Wendy, has to find her sister who also survived the roller coaster crash. Wendy confronts them and when you least expect it, when chaos is at its high, poor Perry is impaled and killed. There is no emotional value to her character so unfortunately it is bumped WAY down the ranking.
31. Roy (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Hooked
One thing the fifth film unfortunately does, is kill characters off quickly in ways that seem less likely for others. You’ll see down this list, characters die in shocking ways that COULD happen to you, this one isn’t so likely. In a fight, Roy is shoved off a bridge and tries to catch himself on a hook before falling onto metal poles below him. Unfortunately, he catches the hook in the wrong way.
30. Samantha (The Final Destination) | Cause: Rock to eye
This one is so stupid but fun as hell. After a torturous suspense build-up in a hair salon, Samantha is hit through the eye by a rock that gets caught under a lawn mower. What makes the scene so iconic is her threat on her kids where she says “I’ve got my eye on you two” delivered in a terrible way by a terrible actress. It’s fun and campy, but stupid.
29. Nadia (The Final Destination) | Cause: Flying tire
Another case of putting the action into words makes it so much more stupid. The Final Destination was a victim of the 3D era in multiplexes; studios hiking up ticket prices for cheap effects that are made to fly out at you. This scene is a poor case of that. Seeing her CGI body flail, her boyfriends reaction to not even staring at her… It’s just bad and stupid. It made it up the list for the leg twitch at the end… made me giggle at least the first time I recall seeing it.
28. Frankie (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Exhaust fan
Frankie is a prime example of the franchise building suspense. Wendy and Kevin are stuck in a drive-thru behind a yellow car, which they find out – moments too late – is Frankie’s. Kevin’s truck is hit, the fan comes out, and takes a bite out of Frankie. It’s gory, shocking, and a good reason why the third installment ranks among the best.
27. Billy (Final Destination) | Cause: Decapitated
Seeing Stifler scream and shout is hilarious… trying to be all dramatic and shit. This scene comes after a very suspenseful moment in the first film. As tension builds, a train picks up shrapnel from the car crash we just witnessed and hurls it at Billy, cutting his head off mouth up. It gets props for using practical effects as 2000 CGI was not the greatest, as well as introducing what would become the franchises formula of making characters think they have survived.
26. Hunt (The Final Destination) | Cause: Gutted
The fourth film is not only the worst for its writing, effects, and general existence, but it also created some of the most unlikeable characters. I guess New Line thought the more we hate these characters the less sadistic we are for watching them die? Who knows why this franchise grew so much but we LOVE IT! Hunt was a funny asshole, and I say that meaning that his insides literally get pulled out of his asshole from an overacting pool drain. Hilarious.
25. Andrew (The Final Destination) | Cause: Fence?
I don’t even know how to emphasize again how much the fourth film betrays physics… But they did it again. In a suspenseful build up, our friendly mechanic is launched by a broken gas tank into a very sharp (?) fence and diced. Weird… Fun… so it’s #25.
24. Isaac (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Head crushed
This was another reason why – and further proof ahead – the 5th film is the best because of how much tension and discomfort it builds up. This scene was teased in endless commercials as a guy dying by acupuncture. It is so cringeworthy to watch as he literally faLLS OFF HIS BED AND STABBED BY HIS NEEDLES. There is also a fire… But then he is crushed by a Buddha statue?! It is so weird but funny and suspenseful.
23. Jim (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Shot
This one is different, which is why I ranked it higher. It is another example of FD5 at its finest. The characters come up with this scheme that if they take someones life for “death” they can survive and this trend passes them. It turns one of our protagonists crazy and begins a slasher-type finale. Jim is shot in front of Molly by Peter which leads us into our next death…
22. Peter (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Stabbed
In a fight to survive, Peter, Molly, and Sam have a face-off in a tension-building kitchen with deep fryers, stoves, and rotisserie skewers. Peter is crazy and scary which again offers a different side to the franchise.
21. Nathan (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Crushed
Nathan was meant to be our friendly loveable survivor, but unfortunately meets a grisly end when he is crushed by a plane wheel, which we will discuss further down the list.
20. Ian (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Crushed
Ian is one of those characters who is so likeable, but is written to be hated. He goes crazy after his girlfriend becomes a victim, and in the end meets a demise that is so violent and topped off with a great middle finger shot. It is another good example of the franchise using practical effects again before the 4th and 5th films became CGI machines.
19. Carter (Final Destination) | Cause: Smacked by falling sign
*relaxing sigh* ahhhhh, just as you think everyone is OK… A bus accident in Paris leaves Carter, our star hunky jock, in death’s crosshairs once more. It was in part offering up a franchise idea, as horror movies were on their way out again.
18. “Racist” (The Final Destination) | Cause: Burned alive
A greater but still disappointing bummer, the fourth film has this stupid, but triumphant death. This character has no name, he is literally known as the racist. He targets our Afro-american protagonist for a racist hate crime, but ends up hurting himself but getting soaked in his gas and being dragged down the street in his own truck and lighting on fire.
17. Lewis (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Head crushed by weights
Now that we’re getting in to the top 20, they get much more violent and much more ridiculous… exactly how we want our Final Destination films. This kill is pretty basic but got moved up the list because of its building tension, as well as earning creativity points for the filmmakers making a brand new work out machine just to pull it off.
16. Tim (Final Destination 2) | Cause: Crushed
I remember first seeing this and being literally shocked. The second entry for sure did a great job in catching the audience off-guard in almost all their kills. It is built up in a dentist office, and when he makes it out alive the tension is eased but not for long when Tim scares a crowd of pigeons that causes a construction worker to drop a pane of glass on Tim. If you watch the behind-the-scenes of this film, it is really cool how they actually pulled this off.
15. Kat (Final Destination 2) | Cause: Impaled
Another surprise death from the second film was Kat. Our sassy, paranoid character who survives a tense accident to only be impaled on an exposed pole in the back of her seat. It is such a sudden but impactful moment in the film.
14. Nora (Final Destination 2) | Cause: decapitated by elevator
3 out of 4 of these entries are from the second film, rightfully so. The tension around who is going to die next in the second film is pretty high and these girls are shocked when our matriarch character – still mourning her son, Tim – is trapped in an elevator door and ultimately decapitated in a brutal and dramatic show.
13. Evan (Final Destination 2) | Cause: Impaled by ladder
This fourth death from the second film is a perfect example of the franchise and its ability to build suspense. A whole sequence builds up over 4 minutes and we are shown multiple things that can happen to Evan, but in the end his luck runs out and is impaled through the skull by a fire escape ladder.
12. Tod (Final Destination) | Cause: Choked
Tod has a special place in this franchise because he is the first victim death claims in the formulaic system of the franchise. The suspense is built up as he shoves tweezers up his nose, shaves with a razor, all while a leak from the toilet makes its way to Tod. It is perfectly built up and suspenseful.
11. Wendy (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Run over by train
The next three deaths all happen in the same sequence. First is our third film protagonist, Wendy. Just as you think they’ve survived deaths grip, they begin to realize this subway train will be their final destination (ha, ha). After being thrown from a turned over train, she gets a broken leg and eventually hit by an oncoming train.
10. Julie (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Hit by train wheel
The second best death from the sequence is Wendy’s sister, Julie. After the plot twist of finding out she also survived the rollercoaster crash, she runs in to Wendy on the train on her way home. They catch up and realize it is all to convenient that they are on the train. During the crash, Julie gains her footing, but is eventually cut in half by a train wheel.
9. Kevin (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Shredded
A death that always blew my mind was Kevin’s. It is so painful to watch and hard to comprehend. You see the train and pushed up against the walls of the tunnel and the glass supporting Kevin begins to break, and he is forced out and completely f*cking shredded by the wall.
8. Val (Final Destination) | Cause: Stabbed
Another death that is hard to watch is Val’s from the first film. It takes so long to get through, she is such despair that everyone is dying… It is so hard. She is stabbed in the throat by her exploding computer, her house is on fire, she slips in her own blood and to save herself is stabbed by knives falling on her. It sucks for her so much, so it ranked very high due to its emotional value.
7. Olivia (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Eye surgery
Olivia was the second highest advertised kill from the fifth film (…spoilers…). They really used the amount of discomfort someone feels in medical places to their advantage with her getting laser eye surgery. As well, the fifth film did a few cop outs that worked (much like the acupuncture in #24) and this one as well when Olivia is not completely obliterated by the machine by falls from the 4th floor office building following the procedure gone wrong.
6. Erin (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Nail gun
Erin’s death in the third film came as a surprise because her and Ian’s deaths were hinted at to happen together. The tension builds across a home depot rip off store, and tragically Erin meets a BRUTAL end by being nailed together when she falls onto a staple gun.
5. Rory (Final Destination 2) | Cause: Sliced
In the second film, they really took the concept and amped it up from the first film, relying more on tension and comedy compared to its predecessor. Rory’s death comes right after Kat’s and is an absolute shock when a news van explodes, sending a barbed wire fence at Rory, cutting him into thirds. It is shocking and just gross as his guts fall out of his torso.
4. Ashley & Ashlynn (Final Destination 3) | Cause: Burned alive
Ashley and Ashlynn are probably the most hyped and advertised death in the entire franchise. In 2006, audiences were buzzing about this scene that is completely improbable, but was humorous following the study of tanning beds negative effects on the human body. It is all the more exciting because of the character build up over the film of the ditzy Ashley and Ashlynn, people you love but just accept that they are going to meet a fate, may as well make it brutal.
3. Terry (Final Destination) | Cause: Hit by bus
This death was a complete difference from the tone in the first film. Tensions are high between all the surviving members following Tod’s death, especially between lovers Carter and Terry. After an argument, Terry breaks up with Carter and storms off with an iconic quote saying “you can drop fucking dead!” only to turn around in classic 2000s melodrama fashion and gets smacked by a city bus. Blood and matter splash on the onlookers and it is shocking and exactly what the franchise lives off of.
2. Sam & Molly (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Plane crash
SPOILERS!
If you have not seen any of the films and care to keep the plots a mystery, better scroll past this one, but odds are if you’re this deep you most likely do not mind things being ruined for you. In the big plot twist of the series, it turns out the fifth film actually comes full circle and is the first film in the franchise chronologically. Our protagonists Sam and Molly are happy to have lived, but turns out on a celebratory flight to Paris, they are on flight 180 that was the original accident in Final Destination. It is such a kicker and really surprised audiences.
- Candice (Final Destination 5) | Cause: Gymnastics accident
People in my theatre dreaded this death when I saw it in 2011. People were on edge because it was the most advertised accident in the trailer, but no one could have seen what was coming. Candice wasn’t the original victim of what we were advertised, but actually becomes a victim in a much worse way. There is mass amounts of tension that leads to the death including screws falling and fans blowing. The original advertised death though leads to Candice getting chalk dust in her eyes in the middle of a bar routine and spins out of control, then getting folded in half when she lands on the mat. It is completely surprising, graphic, and shocking. The makers of Final Destination 5 knew exactly what they were doing in this film which rightfully earns this one the number one spot on my list.
What is your ranking of all the demises in the Final Destination franchise?! Was I wrong in any of my entries? Let me know in the comments below!
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