Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
Billie Roy in Lee Cronin's The Mummy
Horror Movies Upcoming horror movies coming in 2026 and beyond
Ghostface in Scream 7
Horror Movies Scream 7 review: "Never as sharp as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve"
Ghostface in Scream 7
Horror Movies Scream 7 ending explained: who dies, who is Ghostface and will there be a Scream 8?
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Horror Movies Passenger horror movie trailer leaks online, and it looks like the scariest movie of 2026
Phoebe Dynevor in Thrash
Horror Movies Stay clear of the water this summer as yet another shark horror movie is on the way, and its first trailer is terrifying
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Survival Horror Games "They're not good enough," joke devs behind "self-feeding" horror giant stuck in the Steam Top 50 while others rot
Jessica Rothe as Tree Gelbman in Happy Death Day
Horror Movies Happy Death Day director sets horror return with supernatural pic that may or may not be set on an airplane
Alan Ritchson in War Machine
Sci-Fi Movies War Machine star Alan Ritchson says the film's most dangerous stunt was "pretty terrifying," as he ziplined over rapids
Jacob Elordi as the Creature in Frankenstein
Horror Movies The 25 best Netflix horror movies to watch right now
Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher in Scream
Horror Movies Scream 7 director crushes the fan theory that Stu Macher is alive and will return in Scream 8: "That's a big stretch"
Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry in The Gray Man.
Thriller Movies The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
Ghostface in Scream (2022)
Horror Movies All 7 Scream movies ranked, from worst to best
  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
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
Faces of Death reboot
Horror Movies Reboot of '70s cult horror gives Final Destination a run for its money, as its first trailer reels off gory ways to die
 
 
Fall
Thriller Movies Fall producers will shred our nerves again with new rollercoaster horror: "We're pushing the tension to the extreme"
 
 
Whistle movie
Horror Movies New horror Whistle features a death scene so "insane", its director had never seen anything like it on screen before
 
 
(L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in Stranger Things 5.
Supernatural Shows Stranger Things season 5 finale won't deliver Game of Thrones-level carnage: "We're not trying to upset anyone"
 
 
Vin Diesel
Action Movies Vin Diesel reveals the title of final Fast and Furious film and a release date
 
 
Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later
Horror Movies The 25 best zombie movies of all time
 
 
Latest in Horror Movies
Halloween Kills
Horror Movies Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis says she wouldn't have returned for the Blumhouse sequel if she'd known it was a trilogy
 
 
Leon frowns in the care center in Resident Evil Requiem
Horror Movies Resident Evil director Zach Cregger proves he's the right person for the job after beating Requiem twice already
 
 
Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler's vampire horror Sinners
Drama Movies Oscars 2026 live coverage: All the winners, red carpet, and the 97th Academy Awards' biggest moments – as it happens
 
 
Michael Johnston as Bear and Inde Navarrette as Nikki in Obsession
Horror Movies You'll wish you'd been ghosted after watching the new trailer for upcoming horror movie Obsession
 
 
Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter staring at each other in prison during the movie The Silence of the Lambs.
Horror Shows Hannibal creator says his "dream" Silence of the Lambs adaptation is "still out there in the universe"
 
 
Jessica Rothe as Tree Gelbman in Happy Death Day
Horror Movies Happy Death Day director sets horror return with supernatural pic that may or may not be set on an airplane
 
 
Latest in Features
Future Games Show
Games Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2026
 
 
Artwork showing Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, with protagonist Edward Kenway looking out from the side of ship
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced – Everything you need to know about the Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake
 
 
The Talking Flower toy sitting next to its box.
Toys & Collectibles The Super Mario Talking Flower told me the "ocean tastes like tears" but I like this Nintendo toy
 
 
Resident Evil accessories and merch on a forest background
Toys & Collectibles It's been 30 years since we first entered the Spencer Mansion, so I'm building the ultimate Resident Evil starter kit
 
 
A still from Kiki's Delivery Service featuring Kiki and her feline familiar Jiji flying on a broom with some seagulls, with a Big Screen Spotlight logo ini the corner
Anime Movies Kiki's Delivery Service's return to theaters proves we need hand-drawn animation now more than ever
 
 
In Collector's Cove, the collector protagonist who has short brown hair and wears a jumper with cherries on it hugs the Fable Fin companion who wears a witch hat. GamesRadar+'s Indie Spotlight series logo can be seen in the top right-hand corner
Adventure Games If you're feeling Pokemon Pokopia FOMO, this farming adventure lets you explore on the back of a Lapras-like companion
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. A character in power armor talks to Dogmeat in Fallout 4
    1
    Bethesda vets "wouldn't be surprised" if Fallout 5 was outsourced
  2. 2
    Exclusive: Jhin joins Riftbound with absurdly powerful cards
  3. 3
    Resident Evil Requiem's Leon actor doesn't know who he's married to either
  4. 4
    1,200 hours in, Final Fantasy 14 fan trying to beat the MMO under RuneScape's Ironman rules clears biggest obstacle yet
  5. 5
    The best new shows and movies streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more (Mar 16–Mar 22)

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

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

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

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...