“The Final Destination,” the fourth oxymoronical film in the “Final Destination” series, was a flop to say the least. Not even 3-D could salvage this lackluster attempt at a horror flick.

This isn’t a movie where the filming was off or where parts of it were good, but a few things tipped it in the bad direction — no, this is crap. I love bad horror movies more than I should, and I’ve watched the horror section of a rental store from A to Z. I have to say, most of that junk from the ‘80s looks like Rembrandt compared to this movie.

The series started with the well-done horror film “Final Destination.” It had a plot, silly-though-gruesome deaths and a comical bent that kept you giggling as overly-elaborate deaths occurred at a comfortable pace. It ended, as most horror flicks do, with the potential for a sequel.

The sequel picked up with an actual connection to the last movie and was fine as far as sequels go.

Then came the third film. It was bad, but not horrible.

However, some idiot in charge of green-lighting pictures at New Line Cinema said, “Hey, let’s make another sequel that no one cares about rather than making more quality movies.”

The result is this 3-D horror bomb that starts at a NASCAR race featuring every stereotype you can think to shove into that sort of venue. This could almost be funny, if someone had remembered to write dialogue that wasn’t painstakingly bland.

The death scenes aren’t interesting, just lame attempts at being ultra-gore-filled, shock value fan–pleasers.

I should have known this wouldn’t be worth the hour-and-a-half investment when I saw who was directing — David R. Ellis, the same man who brought us such winners as “Snakes on a Plane” and “Cellular.” At least with “Snakes,” I knew it was supposed to be a joke.

It was supposed to be a joke, right?

Just in case you have it in your head to still see the movie, go ahead. You’ll get a laugh or two and maybe enjoy an elaborate death scene, but mostly you’ll just cheer when the hollow characters deliver their final bits of bad acting during their death scenes. This movie can be saved for when you’re so sick you’re delirious; perhaps then, amidst the delirium, the movie will have some “deeper” meaning.

—Gabriel Stoffa is a senior in communication studies from Ottumwa