Who honestly would have thought that the film "Final Destination" would turn into a franchise? Even realizing the Hollywood machine that believes in milking any idea for as long as possible, the idea that once Death caught up with the requisite teens in the first film seemed to be it. Being that as it may, the powers that be opted to continue Death's vindication of itself (himself? herself?) into yet a third incarnation… "Final Destination 3." Admittedly, the idea that Death (Fate? God?) has an unalterable plan is a compelling one as I have been in two situations where… by rights… I should have been killed. To this day, no one has yet been able to explain how I survived either of these two incidents. So to think that Death might somehow be hot on my heels fascinates me to no end and draws me to these films. Of course, seeing a bunch of preening teenagers falling prey to the fickle finger of fate, most of them in extremely gruesome ways, isn't too bad either.

In this third installment, we are introduced to yet another nameless, faceless group of teens confronted by a disaster. This time around it comes in the form of a rollercoaster. The teens in question narrowly avert an accident when on of their friends (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has a premonition of a rollercoaster crash. That's pretty much all you need to know in terms of plot. As you might guess, based on the premise of the previous films, these teens soon find that Death is not only determined… but one heck of a creative cuss.

One by one, the relatively attractive cast of wannabe WB stars gets picked off and a part of what makes it so darn entertaining is just how they meet their maker. There is everything from getting heads crushed by weights to death by nail gun. But, the end results are not enough. As an audience, we are privy to every little event leading up to each of the deaths. While they don’t include boots strapped to boards, egg beaters, or bowling balls rolling down a track, each one is a symphony of intricacies concocted by writer Glen Morgan and writer/director James Wong. Rube Goldberg would be proud.

Unfortunately, I missed "Final Destination 3" in theatres, but I was able to finally catch up to it on DVD thanks to the new 2-disc set offered up by New Line. One might wonder why a film like this would warrant 2 discs, but I credit that to the studio for delivering a package that will delight fans of the series. To start off, the transfer is pretty good (though not perfect). There are a lot of dark scenes in the film, but for the most part there are only a few problems with the contrast. Generally you see everything you’re supposed to see. As for sound, if you're lucky enough to have a system that can handle DTS-ES 6.1, you’re in for a home surround sound treat. But even if you don’t, the 5.1 track still delivers a more than acceptable audio.

As for the extra features, they are a' plenty. First up is a commentary by Wong and Martin, who are joined by director of photography Robert McLachlan. Wong and Martin have worked together for years, having been involved heavily in "The X-Files", so they have a great rapport which comes across on this commentary. McLachlan does get a chance to get a word in edge-wise, but it’s the other two that lead the conversation. You'll also find an odd little cartoon that focuses on how people deal with the idea of death, a featurette that looks at the 'Dead Teenager Movie' genre as a whole, and one that gives a little behind the scenes insight into the effects work on the film.

But that's not all folks… There is also a feature length "Making of…" documentary that comes in at nearly an hour an a half. If you thought there was anything to learn about how this film was made, it’s all included here. Add to this an extended scene and some trailers and you have a pretty well-rounded DVD set. Oh… but let’s not forget the piece de resistance of the DVD. You have the choice of watching the film as it played in theatres or… you can 'Choose the Fate' of the characters. You are given the opportunity to use your remote to change little details in the film, occasionally change some facets of the death, or even end the movie rather quickly. It's a fun little feature to play.

"Final Destination 3" is pretty much fluff, when compared to movies that are more Academy Award worthy, but it does what it is meant to. It throws you the occasional jump scare followed by some rather grotesque… though nicely executed… uhhh… executions.

Directed by: James Wong
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman
Extras: The Making of Final Destination 3, "Dead Teenager Movie" Featurette, "It's All Around You" - Animated Short, Commentary by the Filmmakers, Theatrical Trailer, Television Spots
Specifications: Widescreen (2.35:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, DTS-ES 6.1 Surround Sound
Studio: New Line
Release Date: 7/25/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (For Strong Horror Violence / Gore, Language and Some Nudity)
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We'll give Final Destination 3 a B-.