Plot: A high school senior is headed to France for a senior trip. He has a terrible vision of the plane exploding while it is still on the ground, and runs off in a panic. Several other people go with him. The plane takes off, and you guessed it, explodes. The boy was supposed to die that night, and now Death hisownself is out to get him and his buddies. Yikes, where do you hide from the Man With No Tan?

The Good: I really didn’t expect to like this movie at all. The previews made it look like a teen slasher flick. Well, guess what, it’s intelligent, well-written, and very creepy. The specter of Death (never actually seen, but present in a big way) stalks its victims ruthlessly and opportunistically. The death scenes are gruesome, and yet funny, in a horrible sort of way. No one can say this flick doesn’t have a sense of humor. There’s a really great running joke about John Denver as a harbinger of doom…anyway. Watching the film’s central characters try to outwit the Big Bad Reaper is way too much fun.

The performances are really very good. Devon Sawa is very talented (although he looks like he’s 12), and Ali Larter (of House on Haunted Hill) does a stand-up job as his love interest. There’s a great cameo by Tony Todd, the Candyman himself. Interestingly, there’s a lot of discussion about the impact of death and mortality—something you just don’t usually see in movies marketed to teens. Final Destination has heart, brains (some of them exposed) and oh yes, plenty of guts.

The Bad: If you’re already afraid of flying, don’t watch this movie. It has the scariest crash scene since "Alive." Also, the painfully young cast will make you feel older than dirt if you’re not a puppy yourself.

Bottom Line: A tasty treat for horror fans. Don’t miss this one.