After a fourteen-years break since the fifth film of the franchise brought the story full circle neatly, this welcome soft reboot sets the story in motion with a spectacular vertigo-inducing opening of utter carnage that indicates the tone of what is to follow, which in the case of this outing ups the gloopy gore quotient and ladles on the very dark humour to entertaining effect. In many ways Bloodlines sticks to the tried and tested formula of its predecessors, but here Death not only goes after survivors but the descendants who should not have existed as a result, with the focus on the last remaining family, led effectively by the increasingly traumatised college student daughter Stef (well played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana, in an unusually strong ensemble cast). Portents and potential dangers abound, with nicely-placed subtle references to the wider franchise and elements from the earlier movies for existing fans, the writing is pleasingly tight and its various twists make sense. The big set pieces - and indeed the whole film - look suitably cinematic for its budget, and the great Tony Todd's final screen appearance scene is heavily poignant. The self-contained Bloodlines may well give the Final Destination franchise an new generation of fans with this surprisingly strong, fun and unpretentious entry that delivers extremely well.
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