20 People Post About Their First Time Watching ‘Final Destination’

"On the last flight I took the guy sitting across the aisle/in front of me actually had the audacity to put on the first FD movie."

The 2000 supernatural horror movie Final Destination was a game-changer that bridges the teen slasher/murder mystery horror of the 90s with the elaborate death sequences of the 00s “torture porn” trend. The fascinating history of this horror franchise includes a particularly creepy origin story for the first film. Writer Jeffrey Reddick read a newspaper article about a woman who was on vacation in Hawaii when her mother called to tell her not to take the plane home because she had a “bad feeling”. The daughter rescheduled her return flight and the plane she was supposed to be on crashed. He began thinking about whether death felt cheated, and the rest is history.

Here’s how people on Reddit responded to remembering their first viewing of Final Destination and its sequels and how it has impacted their lives:

Don’t watch it before you fly

“I made the (unknowing) mistake of watching this movie the night before I flew cross Atlantic to England. I was so anxious and petrified the entire time! By far, the plane explosion affected me the most.” — Midwest_Macabre

“I walked home in the dark”

“I must’ve been 9 or 10 when it came out. I feel like that’s the perfect age to fuck with a kid. I watched it at a buddy’s house and then had to walk the mile home in the dark. Looking back it’s silly— but it was the most scared I had ever been at that time.” — doctor_parcival

My pants would be wet

“A week after watching that series, my family was driving back from a wedding at about 1am and a truck passed us in the outside lane. Big truck overloaded with logs, slowly overtaking us, silently, like the shark in Jaws. Then John Denver came on the car radio and my sister and I just exchanged looks. We both got the exact same vibe.” — peon47

It was like nothing I’d seen before

“I saw Final Destination 1, day 2 in the cinema, the audience engagement and gasps are among the best I have ever heard in a cinema. You could hear the genuine shock when the girl was hit by the bus among others. It was a breath of fresh air, no guy in a mask, nobody possessed, no other demon world… it was real world horror, it could happen to you, any time, any place. It had a real sense of dread and tension. The rest of the films are hit and miss, seeing as though you know what’s coming.

Originally it was supposed to be an X Files episode and it shows.” — ObjectSpirited494

The shower scene

“I watched the first one when I was way too young to be watching those movies. My parents rented it but didn’t want me to watch it so I waited until they went to bed and watched it by myself.

I had the volume down really low and I was sitting close to the TV so they couldn’t hear and that part where the shower curtain cable wraps around his neck traumatized the hell out of me and I had to turn it off.” — Gandledorf

Everyone who has seen Final Destination 2:

“I will never drive behind a truck bed hauling timber or metal poles.” — Last_Sundae_6894

I’m convinced Death is coming for me

“The train scene, where a piece of shrapnel flies through Billy’s head.

It’s made me weary of staying too close to train platforms as it rolls in.

As well, whenever I slip in the shower I immediately think of the first death in final destination one.” — Muldyonionsauce

It never goes away

“Final destination, which I have not watched since I was a kid, is unfortunately burned into my brain and I refuse to watch it or any of its successors.” — simplybreana

180 is a bad sign

“Anytime I see the number 180 I get a little weary. That number showed up in every movie and always meant something bad was about to happen.

Nope. No thanks.” — highryan92

Don’t see Final Destination 3 if you want to keep tanning

“Other than the logging trucks my huge one was tanning beds. I don’t tan anymore but I used to. The first time I tanned after watching that scene I was full blown panic the whole time; I kept opening the lid to make sure I could get out.” — sweetsassy_sunshine

I’ve purchased extra safety supplies

“I always get traction stickers for the bathtub now.” — valis010

Worst plane ride ever

“I saw this movie when I was 11 years old. My dad and I were both horror fans and went in without a lot of knowledge.. The night before I was flying from Minneapolis, MN to Raleigh, NC. Yeah. That was an oops.” — _unstableunicorn

I don’t cut the tag off of my luggage

“Every time I get on a plane I look around to make sure there aren’t any babies, elderly or disabled. And I won’t cut the tag off my luggage if they tie it there, which has never happened but just to be safe.” — rebeccatwosocks

Final Destination-specific fears

“I also get the fuck out of the way of trucks carrying logs/poles/anything sus.

I stay away from pool inlets (Chuck Palahniuk’s Haunted).

I have used tanning beds but you’d better believe that required some self talk and reminding myself that movies aren’t real life.” — littleb3anpole

Safety first

“I never pour a cold drink in the same cup that contained a hot drink minutes before, you never know where that cup’s gonna crack and leak.” — misslemon9

No plastic water bottles!

“I won’t drink anything in a plastic bottle while driving, afraid that it’s going roll under the brake and prevention me from stopping my car.” — Tokey_Loki

This is actually good advice

“I’m glad I saw Final Destination 5 after I had LASIK surgery.” — TenebraeVisionx

This was SUSPENSE

“Oh my God, the fucking screw on the balance beam before the gymnastics death scene is the scariest part of the whole franchise. I was literally on the edge of my seat watching that girl get closer and closer to it.” — mattaphorica

FD3 is great

“I will never forget how NOT ready I was when I saw a matinee of FD3 on a random weekday in 2006… FD2 has the best premonition set piece but FD3 is the best overall… real cinematic care and attention was paid to such a stupid movie…” — Marquee_Smith

What airline offered this on the in-flight entertainment???

“Side note – on the last flight I took the guy sitting across the aisle/in front of me actually had the audacity to put on the first FD movie. I’m pretty sure he turned it off mid-opening scene. Ya know, when everyone’s getting sucked out the plane and it fucking explodes.” — LemmeBrwThtTop