Death is a strange fellow. I've never seen a supernatural force so bent on killing innocent teenagers in such bizarre fashions as crazy as Death—but I suppose it's why audiences keep going to see one of their favorite villains. But since it's a spiritual being, and not once does it really take human form for the camera, I realized from the first installment how absolutely futile the Final Destination series is. These are not happy movies, and even the notorious comic relief that original director James Wong inserts is superseded by the hopelessness throughout this Rube Goldberg contraption of annilihation. Although I do hail writers Wong and Glen Morgan for their intricate and invention ways of killing people, Final Destination 3 is no marvel in the series or in the horror genre. It's just as silly a concept as before, but why do audiences want to just watch people die? To sit on their bottoms, persperating and hoping that their some minimal chance of survival? Fat chance. I suppose Jeff Richards' axiom 'sex sells' has been outdated by the likenesses of Eli Roth and fellow directors: blood sells.

Wendy Christensen (Winstead) is an innocent high school senior with a steady relationship and a fast track to college. But the night of the school amusement park celebration, she has the infamous premonition. The trumping roller coaster (aptly named "The Devil's Ride") has become a trap in the Reaper's path, as it is set to crack and knock the passenger train right on the track—leaving all the riders dead. Wendy and her friend Kevin (Merriman), along with a few other passengers, manage to get off the ride in time. But after the ride tragedy happens, the Pale Rider plans to knock off each one individually. When Wendy finds clues in her digital photos of each potential death, they set out to warn everyone on the train about their impending doom...or will they be too late?

Mary Elizabeth Windstead, who made an impressive show in last summer's Sky High, serves as a decent heroine in replacement of AJ Cook's character from the latter volume. She has the ability to appear more naive yet stable combatant to Grim's ghostly grip—although she does employ several aspects of the average idiot teenager. Of these aspects, the "crying over dead boyfriend with lame eulogy" skit, the "conspiracy theorist" skit, and the "didn't see that one coming" play. Ryan Merriman, a relative nobody who was cast 3 days before shooting, doesn't impress or depress me with his ability to act. Instead, he plays exactly what he's supposed to: a semi-wise counterpart to the heroine who also realizes the danger that is slowly dragging its way towards them. There are no surprise cameos from Ali Larter (I suppose that makes sense, since she died last time) or AJ Cook, and that's what lets Final Destination 3 ride independently from the crowd.

Final Destination 3 is a winning purebred in smart horror writing, but extends its limits to the intelligence of the characters. There is one truly smart cast member in the film, and that's death. He knows their weaknesses, their faults, and their wrong decisions. A simple tap of the foot and a contraption in the vain of 'Mouse Trap' sets off with deadly consequences. Some of these feats, such as a horrible fate of two teenage ditzballs and their 'tanning booth flambe', are presented in a comic fashion, as 'Love Rollercoaster' blares across the menacing score and the panicked screams of the women. Comic is not the word I would come truly come to describe it, but ghastly and disgusting. I couldn't laugh at the scene, and still can't laugh. I've give them credit for being creative, but not for screwing with the audience's emotions.

Death has a running start, but not a winning finish in Final Destination 3. There's nothing about the film that fully distinguishes itself from the first two films: same plot, same amount of blood, same teenage mindset. Just don't go in with your fingers crossed for a possible survival.