Final Destination In 3-D, The

In The Final Destination, a strange premonition causes friends to abandon their day at the speedway, just before a crushing pileup hurtles cars into the bleachers. They believe that they have cheated Death. But Death is only getting started. While the group thinks they have a new lease on life, unfortunately for Nick (Campo) and Lori (VanSanten), it is only the beginning. As Nick's premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one by one in increasingly gruesome ways, Nick must figure out how to survive before he, too, reaches his final destination. (Gary Reber)

Special features include the option to view the 2-D or 3-D version; a DVD copy of the 2-D version; Body Count: a deconstruction of seven death scenes (HD 22:07); the storyboards, pre-viz animatics, and visual effects of the race car cash (HD 05:00) and the mall explosion (HD 06:04); nine deleted scenes (HD 07:16); two alternate endings (SD 03:33); a sneak peek of the new A Nightmare On Elm Street (SD 01:59); plus BD-Live functionality and a digital copy of the film.

The 2-D 1080p VC-1 picture exhibits colors that are fully saturated, with warm and rich hues. Contrast is good, with deep and solid blacks and shadow delineation that reveals excellent depth. Fleshtones are natural in appearance, as is much of the imagery. The picture was originally shot in digital 3D and intended for 3-D theatrical exhibition. It was released widely in D-Cinema 3D. As such, the imagery is nicely dimensional and generally sharp and perfectly clear, though, at times, slightly soft. While visually engaging and dimensionally rendered, the picture will be even more impressive when re-released in state-of-the-art 3D. Viewed through the provided red/green anaglyph glasses, the depth of field is enhanced, but the color palette is faded and seriously deficient, as is the case with color-coded anaglyph 3-D presentations. This is the lowest-quality 3D and does not reflect the potential for the format. In the new Blu-ray Disc™ 3D standard, they will be virtually a duplicate of the digital theatrical formats. Technologically advanced 3D will likely embrace the spatial compression and 2D + Metadata methods (see Issue 138, January/February 2009 for an article on 3-D technology). These have the potential to deliver 3-D quality to the home that rivals RealD and IMAX® in theatres. Nonetheless, this 2-D presentation is reference quality and is a spectacular visual experience that is sure to be engaging. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is nicely produced, with an aggressive holosonic® soundfield presence. Atmospheric and sound effects, at times, are fully energized with full-on SPL, with extensive panning and directional placement. Such effects truly enhance the visual excitement. A lively orchestral music score is a major sound element that projects a wide and deep soundstage that extends throughout the soundfield, for an engaging sonic experience. Dialogue, of course, is both production sound and ADR produced and sounds such, with at times, wanting spatial integration. The sound, though, is always intelligible, even when all the sound elements are engaged. Deep and solid bass is delivered through the music and effects and is especially energized in the .1 LFE channel, and at times, below 25 Hz. This is an exciting soundtrack that delivers a lot of SPL energy and aggressive surround envelopment. The sound is always engaging and is sure to please. (Gary Reber)