'Final Destination: Bloodlines' brings immersive IMAX horror experience to China

The latest installment of the "Final Destination" horror franchise was released in China last weekend, with its IMAX version providing an intensely immersive experience for viewers.

A Chinese IMAX poster for "Final Destination." [Image courtesy of IMAX China]

Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, "Final Destination: Bloodlines" returns to the very origins of Death's sinister design. The story follows college student Stefanie, who, troubled by a violent recurring nightmare, returns home to find the one person who might break the cycle and save her family from the gruesome fate that awaits them all. The film stars Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Rya Kihlstedt, and the late Tony Todd.

"Final Destination" is one of the most influential horror franchises in cinema, renowned for its creative depiction of death and visually impactful scenes. The new film perfects this formula, earning critical and commercial success while enhancing its spectacle with IMAX technology.

It received a 92% approval rating from 231 critics on review-aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the highest score in the franchise's history. The website's Critics Consensus section reads: "Adding some surprising emotional layers onto the ghoulish bones of Final Destination's mythology, Bloodlines ingeniously executes grisly set pieces with precision and turns impending doom into outrageous fun."

However, the relative rarity of horror films in China has prompted distributors to add a warning to the poster: "This story is purely fictional. Children and viewers with high blood pressure or heart conditions are advised to view with caution."

The new film marks not only the franchise's big screen debut on the Chinese mainland but also the first time the series has been part of the Filmed in IMAX program. Key scenes totaling 51 minutes are presented in IMAX's exclusive 1.9:1 aspect ratio, which expands during fatal encounters to reveal 26% more visual content than standard versions. This custom experience can only be fully appreciated in IMAX theaters.

During a special screening event in Beijing on Aug. 22, critics and audience members agreed that the use of IMAX's expanded aspect ratio in deadly scenes not only offers an improved viewing experience but also intensifies the psychological suspense.

"Final Destination: Bloodlines" has been showing in Chinese theaters since Aug. 22. Before its China release, the film had already proven successful, earning $287 million worldwide in other markets.

Fans of the franchise will appreciate the scenes with Tony Todd, who starred as William John Bludworth in five of the six franchise installments. The actor passed away in November last year.

When Todd signed on to film "Final Destination: Bloodlines" in 2023, he privately informed the producers that he had been diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. As a result, during filming in early 2024, they allowed him to improvise his character's final lines as a proper farewell to audiences: "Life is precious, enjoy every single second, you never know when it will be your last. Good luck."