Principal Cast Devon Sawa -- Alex Browning Ali Larter -- Clear Rivers Kerr Smith -- Carter Horton Kristen Cloke -- Valerie Lewton Daniel Roebuck -- Agent Weine Roger Guenveur Smith -- Agent Schreck Chad Donella -- Tod Waggner Seann William Scott -- Billy Hitchcock Tony Todd (I) -- Bludworth Amanda Detmer -- Terry Chaney Ratings Ratings are based on Rick's four star system. One star - the commercials are more entertaining than the viewing. Two stars - watch if you have nothing better to do. Three stars - good solid entertainment. Four stars - you never dreamed viewing could be this good.

Final Destination is a kick.

This is the first film by Wong and Morgan who wrote such memorable X-Files as "Home" (****). I didn't realize that and almost skipped the movie, since I don't have much use for dead teen flicks. When the names Wong and Morgan came up in the opening credits, I was glad I had gone. And I was even gladder when the end credits rolled. Much more enjoyable than I had any reason to expect.

This is not the kind of movie where plot matters. Six teens (and one teacher) cheat death by getting off a plane just before it explodes on takeoff. It isn't nice to cheat Mr. Death, and death comes looking for them, one by one.

Timing is everything in a film like this, and exaggeration is essential. You know someone is going to die, but it has to come at the moment you least expect it. Then, in retrospect, the moment has to seem exactly right. Wong and Morgan are just over-the-top enough, while keeping the characters sensible and sympathetic.

Most critics treat all such movies with equal contempt. Ebert liked this one, but Ebert has the advantage of having been an SF fan while he was growing up. In the view of the archetypical film critic, there are only two virtues in a film. Characterization is one. The other is obscurity. A critic loves a film that he is the only one smart enough to appreciate. As those of you who have been following this column know, I like a film to be fun.

Don't let the bad reviews keep you from enjoying Final Destination.

Rick Norwood is a mathematician and writer whose small press publishing house, Manuscript Press, has published books by Hal Clement, R.A. Lafferty, and Hal Foster. He is also the editor of Comics Revue Monthly, which publishes such classic comic strips as Flash Gordon, Sky Masters, Modesty Blaise, Tarzan, Odd Bodkins, Casey Ruggles, The Phantom, Gasoline Alley, Krazy Kat, Alley Oop, Little Orphan Annie, Barnaby, Little Orphan Annie, Barnaby, Buz Sawyer, and Steve Canyon.