Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer SFX
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Final Destination Bloodlines
Horror Movies Final Destination 7 gets the green light after the success of the latest movie
A still from a Weapons teaser
Horror Movies After Weapons' gory ending, fans are discussing the most disturbing final lines in horror movies
Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later
Horror Movies First trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple makes the horror sequel look even more violent and bonkers than its predecessor
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in zombie horror sequel 28 Days Later
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: Bone Temple star says it's the "weird, deranged cousin" to Danny Boyle's movie, reveals the infected won't be "purely antagonists" in the horror sequel
Consuelo Trujillo as Sister Death in the horror movie Veronica.
Horror Movies The 25 best Netflix horror movies to watch right now
Directive 8020 autumn preview
Survival Horror Games Supermassive Games' new sci-fi horror game Directive 8020 doesn't just let you redo your worst mistakes, it also speaks to my completionist heart
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie and Alfie Williams as Spike in 28 Years Later
Horror Movies 28 Years Later reviews, cast, and everything else you need to know about Danny Boyle's zombie horror sequel
Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
Horror Movies The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
Heavy Metal Death Can demo screenshot
Horror Games I got a nicotine rush and set zombies on fire in this PS1-style survival horror demo, and it's basically Resident Evil on a submarine
An Infected in 28 Years Later
Horror Movies 28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
Whistle
Horror Movies Logan and Shaun of the Dead actors reveal creepy new Whistle teaser, and it looks like a mix of It Follows and Insidious
A close-up shot of Pinhead from Hellraiser
Horror Games Upcoming horror games for 2025 and beyond
A woman turns to look at an unseen person while standing in front of crew mates behind a glass screen in Directive 8020
Horror Games Until Dawn studio's first sci-fi game is a body horror fest inspired by John Carpenter with tons of Lethal Company tension, and I've never been so excited to turn into a pile of sludge
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple release date, cast, trailer, and everything else we know about the zombie horror sequel
Jonah Hauer-King, Sarah Pidgeon, Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, and Tyriq Withers in I Know What You Did Last Summer
Horror Movies New trailer for I Know What You Did Last Summer sees Jennifer Love Hewitt's character going face-to-hook with the Fisherman in the horror sequel
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Horror Movies

How To Survive Final Destination

Features
By Daniel Bettridge published 24 August 2011

Not so fast, Death...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Don't Get On A Plane

Don't Get On A Plane

If Final Destination has taught us anything, it's that we shouldn't fly, especially not on budget airlines with names like Volée Airlines. But if you do have to take to the skies, here are some things to look out for:

Are there scuffmarks on the door? Can you stow your tray table in the upright position? Does the flight number resemble a Jim Bowen catchphrase from a darts-based game show - a recurring omen of death in the Final Destination franchise (180 that is, not Bullseye )?

Yes? Then take our advice and proceed to your nearest emergency exit.

Watch the plane crash scene here.

Page 1 of 15
Page 1 of 15
Wear Sunscreen

Wear Sunscreen

Tanning booths: the vessel of choice for vanity driven Oompa-Loompa wannabes, or life-size George Foreman grills? Well, the latter if F inal Destination 3 is anything to go by, as Ashley and Ashlyn find out after a toasty time spent trapped in these lean mean grilling machines.

The lesson here? If it has the potential to turn you into human jerky, avoid it at all costs.

Watch the sun-bed sequence here.

Page 2 of 15
Page 2 of 15
If Someone Tells You That Youre All Going To DieListen To Them

If Someone Tells You That Youre All Going To DieListen To Them

Here's a little tip for you: if the film's pubescent protagonist looks clammy, a little bit shocked, and starts to babble incoherently about an impending disaster involving either an airplane ( Final Destination ), motorway ( Final Destination 2 ), roller coaster ( Final Destination 3 ) or Nascar race ( The Final Destination ); then listen to them.

If the evidence of four films is anything to go by, they might just be on to something...

Heed the sweaty warnings here.

Page 3 of 15
Page 3 of 15
Dont Listen To John Denver

Dont Listen To John Denver

Yes we know the folk icon was one of your mum's favourite singers. But given that he died in a plane crash, the same disaster you only just narrowly avoided, then perhaps you should put on some Britney instead.

Otherwise there's no telling where a chain reaction involving cold vodka, warm crockery, faulty home computers and poorly placed knife blocks might take you.

View the unfortunate coincidence here.

Page 4 of 15
Page 4 of 15
Avoid Sharp Objects

Avoid Sharp Objects

Barbed wire. Wood chippers. Fishing hooks. Knives. Glass shards. Car engines. Metal spikes. All seemingly innocuous objects that are just an elaborate Mouse Trap -like series of events away from flying through the air and dicing you up into bite size chunks.

You should probably invest in some safety scissors while you're at it, just in case.

Watch the ickily impressive accident here.

Page 5 of 15
Page 5 of 15
Look Both Ways

Look Both Ways

It's the first rule of road safety, but if you fail to look both ways the chances are that a speeding bus is likely to wheel into view from the side of the frame and smash you to a bloody pulp. If you're lucky the driver might honk mere moments before ploughing into you.

But be warned. they'll never slow down, or even swerve, which given the amount of time you've spent meandering across the road making comments that could be deemed posthumously clairvoyant, seems pretty unfeasible.

Watch the motoring mishap here.

Page 6 of 15
Page 6 of 15
Wear Speedos

Wear Speedos

Tight-fitting lycra may not be de rigueur for men on the chlorine-soaked catwalk, but a pair of Speedos are certainly less likely to get caught on the bottom of the pool while a malfunctioning drain sucks your internal organs out through your rectum.

So if you find yourself on the wrong side of the Grim Reaper, remember budgie smugglers are your friend.

Watch the pool pump here.

Page 7 of 15
Page 7 of 15
Avoid Incompetent Emergency Services

Avoid Incompetent Emergency Services

Firemen, great for rescuing cats out of trees and posing for charity calendars, but as welcome as a hole in the head when it comes to using the jaws of life whilst your noggin is inches away from a sharp metal pole.

So remember don't dial 999, because if Death doesn't get you, incompetent emergency services will.

Watch the incident of unwanted assistance here.

Page 8 of 15
Page 8 of 15
Don't Walk Under Ladders

Don't Walk Under Ladders

One of the pearls of wisdom in Des'ree's alliterative anthem 'Life' is to never walk under ladders, a particularly useful nugget of information should you ever find yourself near the top of Death's 'To Do' list in the second instalment of the Final Destination franchise.

Of course she also babbles on about her fear of dimly lit recreational areas and preference for grilled breakfast staples over spiritual apparitions, which may or may not be useful to remember too.

Watch the superstition-supporting accident here.

Page 9 of 15
Page 9 of 15
Remember Death's Plan Doesn't Have A Sell By Date

Remember Death's Plan Doesn't Have A Sell By Date

The fact that you've survived long enough for the film to fade to black whilst an onscreen caption informs us that an arbitrary amount of time (usually six months) has passed, does not mean you've avoided Death's bony clutches.

Look behind you, the chances are a billboard sign ( Final Destination ), out of control truck ( The Final Destination ) or, er, exploding barbecue (Final Destination 2 ) is headed your way.

Watch a clip of The Final Destination 's x-ray ending here.

Page 10 of 15
Page 10 of 15
Take The Stairs

Take The Stairs

When it comes to body parts that might be crushed, popped or squashed, your head is ripe for cinematic exploitation.

Not only is it filled with gelatinous red mush, but it's also neatly perched on top of your shoulders, just waiting to be nipped off at the neck by the closing doors of an errant elevator.

So unless you want to share Norah's fate from Final Destination 2 , our advice is to keep your head and take the stairs.

Watch the phobia-inducing scene here.

Page 11 of 15
Page 11 of 15
Don't Say Anything Stupid

Don't Say Anything Stupid

If you're going to say something that could potentially be rendered ironic should you suddenly be struck by a speeding bus, errant piece of debris or flying gas canister, then heed our advice and keep your trap shut.

Likewise whatever you do, don't taunt Death. It's not big and it's not clever. It is, however, likely to come back and bite you in the ass.

Hear some unwise words here.

Page 12 of 15
Page 12 of 15
Don't Say Anything Stupid

Don't Say Anything Stupid

If you're going to say something that could potentially be rendered ironic should you suddenly be struck by a speeding bus, errant piece of debris or flying gas canister, then heed our advice and keep your trap shut.

Likewise whatever you do, don't taunt Death. It's not big and it's not clever. It is, however, likely to come back and bite you in the ass.

Hear some unwise words here.

Page 13 of 15
Page 13 of 15
Look Out For Pigeons

Look Out For Pigeons

Mangy denizens of city centre tourist attractions or sphincter-less harbingers of untimely death?

Let's take a cue from Tim in Final Destination 2 who teaches us all a valuable lesson in the physics of 'falling glass pane meets squishy teenaged cranium' after running onto a conveniently placed building site to chase the feathered beasties and say the latter.

Watch the 'pain' glass scene here.

Page 14 of 15
Page 14 of 15
Don't Watch Nascar

Don't Watch Nascar

If you're not bored to death by the prospect of brightly coloured cars whizzing round in circles in a seemingly never-ending effort to take the chequered flag - or for that matter the idea of Tom Cruise making a film about it - then you will come a cropper at the hands of an avalanche of flying debris that's likely to squish, slash and impale you in increasingly bombastic ways.

Our advice? Stay at home and watch paint dry instead.

Check out the gory pile-up here.

Page 15 of 15
Page 15 of 15
Daniel Bettridge
See more Movies Features
Read more
Final Destination Bloodlines
Final Destination 7 gets the green light after the success of the latest movie
 
 
A still from a Weapons teaser
After Weapons' gory ending, fans are discussing the most disturbing final lines in horror movies
 
 
Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later
First trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple makes the horror sequel look even more violent and bonkers than its predecessor
 
 
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in zombie horror sequel 28 Days Later
28 Years Later: Bone Temple star says it's the "weird, deranged cousin" to Danny Boyle's movie, reveals the infected won't be "purely antagonists" in the horror sequel
 
 
Consuelo Trujillo as Sister Death in the horror movie Veronica.
The 25 best Netflix horror movies to watch right now
 
 
Directive 8020 autumn preview
Supermassive Games' new sci-fi horror game Directive 8020 doesn't just let you redo your worst mistakes, it also speaks to my completionist heart
 
 
Latest in Horror Movies
Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson in The Long Walk
Mark Hamill says the "major change" in The Long Walk made him "nervous," but Stephen King loved it: "I thought, oh good, I've done my job correctly"
 
 
Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson in The Long Walk
The Long Walk ending explained: Who dies? Who wins the contest?
 
 
Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson in The Long Walk
When is The Long Walk on streaming?
 
 
Young Ed and Young Lorraine in The Conjuring: Last Rites
The Conjuring: Last Rites prologue was originally "kind of a joke" scene involving the Warrens, a concerned mother, and a misplaced D&D book, says director
 
 
Bill Skarsgard as Count Orlok
Forget Nosferatu, film fans are discussing which mythical creature should get the horror movie treatment next
 
 
Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson in The Long Walk
The Long Walk screenwriter says that major ending change was made "for fans of Stephen King" and to honor the horror author's work: "When we heard back that he liked the idea, it was off to the races"
 
 
Latest in Features
Man of Tomorrow concept art showing Superman and Lex Luthor teaming up superimposed over a group of heroes from the cover of Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Almost 90 years after Superman was first called the Man of Tomorrow, James Gunn is reviving the name for his big sequel
 
 
Pokemon Pokopia screenshot showing Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle all gathered around a Ditto in human form between two green trees
Pokemon Pokopia: everything we know about the Pokemon game that looks a lot like Animal Crossing
 
 
A taurus-shaped robotic figure with flaming innards, against a dark background with rocks visible
Helsmiths of Hashut review: Fear this new Warhammer Age of Sigmar army, because it's gonna kick ass
 
 
A screenshot of the upcoming Switch 2 game, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave with a character using a purple energy blast
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave – Everything we know about the strategy game's Switch 2 debut
 
 
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Downton Abbey helped me through the toughest times, but The Grand Finale feels like the perfect time to wrap things up
 
 
Upcoming video game movies: Mario, Princess Peach and Toad in The Super Mario Bros Movie.
Super Mario Galaxy Movie release date, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know about The Super Mario Bros. sequel
 
 
  1. Gwent: The Legendary Card Game box on a wooden surface, with cards visible in the background
    1
    There's now a real version of the Witcher Gwent card game, and it's just as engrossing as the original
  2. 2
    Borderlands 4 review: "Undeniably an excellent looter shooter, but one that requires a bit of tunnel vision to fully enjoy"
  3. 3
    This enormous exploration board game won't be for everyone, but it's a masterclass in narrative and sandbox gameplay
  4. 4
    Hollow Knight Silksong review: "Worth the wait and then some, this isn't just more Hollow Knight but an evolved, spindly beast all its own – even if it's fiddly at times"
  5. 5
    Cronos: The New Dawn review: "An unabashed mash-up of survival horror greatest hits, from Dead Space to Silent Hill, with plenty of its own gory ideas"
  1. Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
    1
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  2. 2
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  3. 3
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  4. 4
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  5. 5
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  1. Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Luis Guzman as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in Wednesday season 2 part 2
    1
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  2. 2
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  3. 3
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  4. 4
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  5. 5
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...