It's a franchise with a proud tradition of creative and gruesome setpieces but The Final Destination's car wash sequence is the series' lamest. The original Final Destination was written by Jeffrey Reddick as a spec script for an episode of The X-Files, which was titled "Flight 180." This draft involved Scully's young brother having a premonition that a plane he was going to board would crash, which it does after he decides not to get on it. Reddick later reworked the concept as an original movie but in a twist of fate, X-Files creative duo James Wong and Glen Morgan would be the ones to bring Final Destination to the big screen.

Final Destination was a solid hit in 2000 thanks to its fantastic concept and creative setpieces. Final Destination 2 arrived in 2003 and is arguably the franchise's best, with the opening car pile-up still being a jaw-dropping sequence. Final Destination 3 is notable for being one of Mary Elizabeth Winstead's earliest lead roles and featuring the return of Wong and Morgan, but outside of some fun sequences, it was a lukewarm retread of the first two entries.

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The Final Destination is the fourth in the series and hit cinemas in 2009. It was the first in the franchise to be shot in 3D and is still the highest-grossing, but both critics and fans consider it the weakest. This extends to the elaborate deaths that have come to define the movies and while it features some highpoints - like the creative use of a chain-link fence - they're mostly lacking in imagination. This includes the car wash sequence, which stands as probably the weakest setpiece of the series.

the final destination car wash sequence

The setup for this Final Destination scene involves Janet (Haley Webb, Teen Wolf) - who survived the opening raceway accident alongside some friends - driving into a car wash. Shortly after her wash begins it malfunctions, trapping her inside the car and things go from bad to worse as her sunroof opens and a pipe breaks, filling her car with water. Once she tries to climb out the sun roof closes on her neck and the car continues onwards, bringing her face dangerously close to the rotating brush. Just when hope appears lost Lori and George drive in from the other side, pushing the car back and saving her life.

An early version of The Final Destination's car wash scene had Janet being killed by the brush instead of being saved, but the only interesting thing about the sequence is that she survives. While the scene works hard to make the car wash seem sinister and threatening, there's simply nothing scary about the setting, and the many logical holes required to make it work - such as no attendants being able to hear Janet honking the horn - only make it lamer. Thankfully, Final Destination 5 was a huge improvement and a new entry is currently in development.

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