Jakarta. “Final Destination”, the American horror franchise known for its depiction of ridiculous deaths, is back with another sequel. Its latest movie, “Final Destination Bloodlines,” is sticking to the same formula, although it tries to give some fresh generational karma twist. In “Final Destination”, someone has a premonition of others’ deaths and will eventually try to come up with a plan to survive. Their plans, however, usually fail and the characters end up dying in the most brutal ways. 

The “Bloodlines” sequel -- directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein -- focuses on the aftermath of cheating death. Iris (whose younger version is played by Brec Bassinger) -- and many others -- were supposed to die from a collapsed tower. However, Iris had a sudden premonition of the accident and warned the other guests, thus saving countless lives. Fast forward to the present time, the older Iris, now a grandmother and played by Gabrielle Rose, has to deal with the consequences of ruining Death’s plan. Her lineage, including protagonist and granddaughter Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), is now being chased by Death since Iris’ descendants were never supposed to exist.

The franchise’s sixth installment is entertaining, although this slasher is certainly not for the faint of heart (myself included). But still, the movie is an enjoyable rollercoaster ride. Some scenes might turn your stomach. The close-up shots on glass shards or other everyday objects still masterfully build tension -- although the “Bloodlines” sequel has yet to defeat the tense gymnastic scene on “Final Destination 5”. At times, “Final Destination: Bloodlines” throws in some dark humor, mainly thanks to the sharp-tongued cousin Erik (Richard Harmon). Unfortunately, Erik and his allergic brother Bobby (Owen Patrick Joyner) have to die the most gruesome death in the movie.

About 14 years have passed since the last installment. I thought the protagonist, Stefani, and her younger brother Charlie (Teo Brines) could finally cheat death this time, but they only lived until the very last minute of the film. Considering how “Final Destination” manages to keep its audience entertained even after all these years, it would not be a surprise if the well-beloved franchise comes up with another installment in the future. Because "Bloodlines" has shown us that the “Final Destination” franchise never dies -- unlike their characters.

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