Who Plays Who?

Bobby Campo Shantel VanSanten Nick Zano Haley Webb Mykelti Williamson Krista Allen Andrew Fiscella Justin Welborn Stephanie Honore Lara Grice Jackson Walker Phil Austin William Aguillard Brendan Aguillard Juan Kincaid Monique Detraz Chris Fry Tina Parker Cecile Monteyne Stacey Dizon Dane Rhodes

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Nick Lori Hunt Janet George Lanter Samantha Lane Andy Kewzer Carter Daniels Nadia Monroy Cynthia Daniels Jonathan Grove Samantha's Husband Kid #1 Kid #2 Newscaster Anchorwoman Greensman Cheyenne Dee Dee Pedicurist Grandstate Manager

What Do The Critics Say

"The Final Destination managed to scare me as much as "Final Destination 2". All these fears evoked by one little horror flick. And now by two films in this franchise! Provides food for thought about fate and our own mortality as well as exciting scenes for viewers who enjoy seeing blood and guts on screen. (Hey, where are these spots of blood on my computer coming from? I probably need help now.)." Betty Jo Tucker REEL TALK "Here we are at Final Destination number four, and the brains behind this resolutely gruesome hack-‘em-up franchise are not about to mess with a wincing formula. The new film has been expertly shot in 3-D, and the extra dimension does punch-up the impact of the franchise’s famously intricate set-piece snuffings. The Final Destination films have never addressed why the Grim Reaper will suddenly provide someone with sneak previews of coming carnage attractions." Leigh Paatsch HERALD SUN "This one is very much about scary things flying out of the screen straight atcha! As ever, a bunch of male and female babes have a premonition of a terrible bloodbath - this time at a motor-racing stadium - and get the heck out of there pronto, along with one or two others. But the Angel of Death, cheated of his bounty, wants to kill them in freak accidents." Peter Bradshaw UK GUARDIAN "Director David R. Ellis is back to direct, what the studio calls "The Final Destination." Now, do we really think this will be the last one? I highly doubt that considering it was number one in the box office and made close to $30 million dollars in its first weekend. The film is worth every penny of your money to see in theaters but please be aware that the acting and script are both horrendous." Kevin McCarthy BIG DADDY KEV'S MOVIE REVIEWS "Almost everything in this third sequel in the violent-death franchise flies out and hits you in the eye: blood, body parts, sharp instruments, entire spinning motor carsYou never saw so much ducking and weaving, or heard such gasps of happy horror, outside a funfair." Nigel Andrews FINANCIAL TIMES

"The film has little concern for character, as one might expect from a former ace stuntman and second-unit director on action movies who graduated to directing the outrageously enjoyable Snakes on a Plane. The fourth film in this occult-horror franchise differs from its predecessors in being shot in superb 3D, which is employed to gory effect." Philip French UK OBSERVER "When Ellis uses 3D to hurl phantom projectiles at the audience, it's an unsubtle reminder that the message applies to us as well. The characters are crash-test dummies, with dialogue to match. Bress' script is mockingly self-aware, framing the film as the ultimate example of violence as entertainment." Jake Wilson THE AGE "It’s hard to think of a movie better suited to 3-D than The Final Destination, the fourth instalment of the gloriously schlocky horror franchise. That this fourth instalment brings no fresh ideas to the mix is not a problem; the added dimension is more than enough to reinvigorate interest in this enduringly and deservedly popular series." Wendy Ide UK TIMES "What does it say about us when we go to cinemas to see people die in gruesome, yet inventive ways? The point is that four movies later the Final Destination franchise still manages to entertain even though it closely follows the template set by the previous instalments." James O'Ehley SCI-FI MOVIE PAGES "In what’s proved a wince-making decade for horrorheads, the Final Destination movies have come to represent a sneaky alternative, filled with the dark humor of exploding kitchen appliances and random death from above. Too many digital effects ruin the spell of a tactile world of evil objects scheming your demise. Even a mediocre FD is better than more Jigsaw." Joshua Rothkopf TIME OUT NEW YORK

The Inside Story In "The Final Destination", the fourth installment in the successful horror series, a group of early twenty-somethings cheat Death: only to have Death come back for them again and again as they keep trying to escape their fate. "The villain in the 'Final Destination' franchise is Death," states director David R Ellis ("Final Destination 2"). "If it’s your turn to die, you’re gonna die. That’s the bottom line." The difference is, this time, Death is in gore-ious 3D. In the latest edition, the story centres on Nick O'Bannon, who, along with girlfriend Lori Milligan, friends Janet Cunningham and her boyfriend Hunt, is out for an exciting day at the races. But as the engines rev and the cars circle the track at top speeds, Nick has a frightening premonition of an errant screwdriver falling out of the pit and onto the track, starting a domino effect that leads to a horrendous crash, sending cars hurtling into the packed bleachers. Shaken, Nick urges his friends to leave, getting them and a few others out just before his premonition becomes reality. And before they all would have died a horrible death. The previous films in the series have opened with an airplane disaster, a big-rig crash and a rollercoaster catastrophe. "American Pie" franchise Producer Craig Perry ("Cappuccino"), who’s been the driving force behind all four rides, comments on this newest inspiration. "The 'Final Destination' films are known for their opening set pieces, so we tried to not only match those but hopefully take it to another level." They decided to take it to auto racing, one of the most-viewed sporting events in the United States. "There’s a kinetic energy in racing," Perry continued. "Dangerous things can happen. But the spectators always feel removed from the danger because whatever happens usually stays in the confines of the track." Not this time. The subsequent mayhem on the track moves into the spectator area. Because Nick’s actions to save himself and his friends were not part of Death’s plan, the survivors find themselves being hunted by Death, determined to collect the souls (in the original, predetermined order) of those who were never intended to survive. Ellis, taking a second turn at the series, isn’t the only franchise alumnus to make a return engagement. Perry ("Cats & Dogs") felt it was the perfect opportunity to reunite Ellis with his "Final Destination 2" writer, Eric Bress ("The Butterfly Effect"), as both understood what needed to be accomplished and, more importantly, the need to keep the tone consistent so that fans would feel the new film remained true to the others. "Also, Eric Bress has a very sick and twisted mind and was able to bring that to the table again," a joking Perry says. Ellis was thrilled to be involved and to have the advantage of coming into a project already knowing all the players. "It’s a very collaborative relationship, and it’s a director’s dream job because of all the incredible action sequences." Bress admires the director’s enthusiasm. "David Ellis is a great director for something as dark as this because, whether he admits it or not, he has a warped little child in him that jumps for joy every time there’s a little bag of blood that explodes a bit too close to the lens, or a fireball that grows too big. He just has so much fun making these films and he brings it to the set." Bress provided an example. "After a big stunt, where maybe two or three characters are crushed by something huge, over the loud speakers you’ll hear, 'I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.' There's just so much laughter on set that I think it allows the cast to trust him more and to go further with their characters. It’s basically a party of murder and mayhem. These films cater to a certain bloodlust and expectation of humor." "The trick is to make sure you’re giving the audience what they want," Bress explained. "For me, writing a 'Final Destination'’ movie is about the most fun I have as a writer, especially this one because the goal was to find ways to outdo the violence in the three films that came before it, while at the same time obeying the rules of the franchise, which are less about how Death exerts its power than the relatable environments in which people die." Forcing the characters to think about the where and when of their mortality naturally affects their actions in the story. "Each of the characters, when confronted with death, changes slightly," Perry notes. "Some become more cavalier about how they live their lives; others retreat and become more cautious. Our central character, Nick, becomes far more frightened about what will happen to his friends because he’s the only one who can tell what’s about to go down, so he embarks on a mission to save them. And, of course, knowing that his girlfriend is further down Death’s list, he has a vested interest in ensuring that everyone else stays alive." Bobby Campo ("99") was cast as Nick O’Bannon. "One minute Nick is sitting there with Lori, Janet and Hunt having a good time, and then the next minute he slips into a different reality and sees what’s about to happen," Campo says. "He becomes psychic for a moment." "Bobby Campo is the kind of guy that guys can like and girls will want to go out with," Perry says. "He has this great likeability factor. When we teamed him up with Shantel, they had great chemistry; they looked like a couple that had been going out for a long time. That is integral to the storyline of this film. We wanted audiences to root for them to survive all the death and pandemonium around them." Shantel VanSanten ("In My Pocket") was cast as Nick’s girlfriend, Lori Milligan, who is no damsel in distress. "Lori is strong," she says. "She supports Nick through these terrible visions that he’s having and tries to help him figure out the pattern so they can save the others and themselves." Prior to taking on the role, VanSanten had never seen any of the 'Final Destination' films,confessing: "I’m a big scaredy cat. "Most of the time when I watch scary movies, I cover my eyes and leave just a little space between my fingers to look through." Nevertheless, she can appreciate the distinct appeal of this particular series. "Death is seeking out certain people, and you don’t know exactly why, or how it’s going to happen, or in what order. So there’s an element of surprise that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time." Hoping it’s not her time is Lori’s best friend, Janet Cunningham, portrayed by Haley Webb ("Big Game"). "At the beginning of the film, Janet is fairly conservative. She’s focused on being very neat and tidy and pristine, everything in its right place. But as the film progresses, she goes through a transformation. When confronted with the possibility of her own death, she realizes the way she’s been going about her life has been a bit too prudish. Instead of giving up, though, she decides to face it head on. So in a certain way, Death sets her free." Webb's character is pursued by would-be Romeo. Hunt Wynorski. It required an actor who had the kind of confidence and quick wit that the character embodies. They found those qualities in Nick Zano. Zano ("College") was already a fan of the franchise. "I don’t really think of a 'Final' as a horror movie. To me, it’s more of a cat and mouse chase with Death. It’s like trying to escape something you can’t escape." His character, Hunt, isn’t the most likeable guy. "He’s a little crass, he’s rude, but there’s something redeemable about him. Everybody has a friend like Hunt in their life." "We were looking for a group of young and fresh new faces," says Ellis ("Snakes on a Plane"). "We were really lucky to find four actors who are really dedicated to their craft and brought so much to their characters." Joining the young cast is veteran actor Mykelti Williamson who played Reverend James in "August Rush". "We were so fortunate to get an actor of Mykelti’s stature because in many ways his character is the emotional center of the movie," says Perry. Williamson was cast as race-track security guard George, whose life is spared the first time around when Nick has his original premonition. "I liked the script a lot. It had heart and soul, and I was able to bring some of that to my character. George is a recovering alcoholic, and there are things that he’s trying to deal with. He would love to do as much as he can for humanity because his own past mistakes are haunting him. When he sort of stumbles into these kids’ lives, he gets caught up in the whirlwind of it all and joins Nick on this journey trying to save people." Perry notes that the journey in "The Final Destination" is somewhat different from those in the earlier films. "We've added something new, in that the elements in Nick’s premonitions don’t seem to directly correlate with what he encounters in reality." Throwing destiny off course isn’t easily accomplished. "It’s like solving a puzzle," VanSanten ("You and I") recounts. "We’re trying to figure out the logic in Death’s plan and convince those on his list that he’s coming for them. But to unravel the pattern of who’s going to get killed next and to get there before it’s too late: it’s a race against time." So how did they set-up the spectacular opening segment and the mayhem that follows? Filming the massive and logistically and technically challenging opening sequence involved the collective expertise and effort of all departments, while shooting in two different states. An empty parking lot just over the Industrial Canal Bridge on the outskirts of New Orleans, Louisiana, was the location used to build the racetrack’s grandstands. But with no real racetrack in the immediate area, the second unit shifted over to the Mobile International Speedway in Mobile, Alabama, to shoot the actual driving sequences. Ellis explained: "We built a one hundred and forty foot section of stands in New Orleans, which matched with the real racetrack in Mobile, and then married the shots. In essence, we shot one direction of the scene in Louisiana, and the other direction in Alabama." He also revealed that "ninety-five percent of the shots are real, with very little green screen shots in the film. The vast majority of the scenes are practical action shots with visual effects enhancements. Wherever possible, we wanted to give audiences the real deal." Production designer Jaymes Hinkle ("Snakes on a Plane") and his crew deserve an award for their efforts. "What took the longest time was probably the conceptualizing. I built a lot of models so that I could visualize it and figure out what would and wouldn’t work." It wasn't just a matter of throwing a few foam pieces together. "We had everything cut and glued around a structure that all these foam pieces fit over. Larry Spurlock from our team came up with a compound that he could spray onto the foam to make it look like concrete. Then we aged it and built all our benches and added other elements. We probably had at least seventy guys working on it for four weeks straight. We built a one hundred and forty foot grandstand and a little strip of roadway that visual effects supervisor Erik Henry made to look five hundred feet long, with two levels loaded with fourteen thousand people. It was exciting bringing that all together in a seamless sequence." Synopsis

On what should have been a fun-filled day at the races, Nick O’Bannon has a horrific premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes multiple race cars to crash, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him. When he comes out of this grisly nightmare, Nick panics, persuading his girlfriend, Lori, and their friends, Janet and Hunt, to leave; escaping seconds before Nick’s frightening vision becomes a terrible reality. Thinking they’ve cheated death, the group has a new lease on life, but unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it's only the start. As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one by one in increasingly gruesome ways: Nick must figure out how to escape death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination. Just when he thinks he has the answer, death returns yet again.

The Verdict "It's an age old question: 'Can death be cheated?' Sometimes! But never forever. Because in the end, death gets each and every one of us. Sure we may escape its grip temporarily, but in the end, there's no way we can put off the inevitable. For fans of the 'Final Destination' franchise, the fun (bizzare as it may sound) has been in watching, not only the brilliant special effects that punctuate each edition, but how, after initially escaping Deaths grip, the hapless survivors are eventually despatched to their graves. Fans would probably agree that it would have been easier and kinder to get snuffed out at the original moment than go through what the survivors must face when Death finally comes a calling. Ingenious is an appropriate description. Now the team behind the franchise has added another dimension: 3-D. And what a gore-ious, glorious, spectacle it makes. But wait, there's more. Now audiences are shown clues as to how each survivors life will be extinguished. Fantastic. Piece all the clues together (if you can) and follow it in the big screen in 3-D. Unashamedly the effects of 3-D are used to there fullest effect as bit come flying out of the screen, leaving the audience no choice but to duck, weave and squirm in their seats. Delicious! Undeniable fun! Recommended. 4 STARS." The Production Team

Director Written by Characters Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Design

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David R. Ellis Eric Bress Jeffrey Reddick Craig Perry & Warren Zide Brian Tyler Glen MacPherson Mark Stevens Lindsey Hayes Kroeger & David Rapaport Jaymes Hinkle Scott Plauche Raymond Pumilia Costume Design by Claire Breaux

Run Time 81 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Roadshow Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.