Without doubt, watching movies shot in 3D can be a lot of fun. The fact that The Final Destination -- the latest installment in this franchise -- is filmed in 3D will probably  please fans of the series because the plots in these movies are tailor made for 3D effects.

The premise of The Final Destination is the same as in the previous films: as part of a group of people, the lead character experiences a premonition of an impending disaster that will kill the entire group. To escape certain death, he convinces everyone to flee the scene. As a result, the group survives an event meant to kill them. But the Grim Reaper doesn’t offer long-term credit. He wants his pound of flesh, so one by one, each group member dies.

These deaths comprise the main action in the film -- each person perishes from a freakish accident which results from overly complex and improbable chain reactions of unrelated events. To witness the many inventive ways the luckless characters will meet their demise is the reason audiences will head to theaters for this one; they aren’t attending to be frightened, in my opinion. Although, I did hear one young lady exiting the theater say, “Oh my God, that was so scary!”

Director David R. Ellis leaves subtlety behind. Even if you never saw the film’s trailer or knew nothing about its history, watching the rock-and-roll propelled, graphic title experience shows you exactly what you’ll be seeing during the next 82 minutes.

This time out, Bobby Campo plays the lead character Nick O’Bannon. You can’t cheat death, the old saying goes, but that doesn’t stop Nick from trying to save his girlfriend Lori (Shantel VanSanten) as well as pals Hunt (Nick Zano) and Janet (Haley Webb) from a race car accident he “sees” will soon happen. He quickly hustles his friends out of the stadium, along with security guard George (Mykelti Williamson) and some other spectators just in time before disaster strikes and many people are killed. When Nick experiences another vision, followed by the death of one of the survivors, he realizes Death has come for everyone who escaped the race track disaster.

What follows appears routine and predictable: Nick runs around frantically trying to cheat Death, but to no avail. One by one, each person dies in particularly convoluted, gruesome, and gory ways. Much of the bloody mess on screen resembles the stuff that comes out of a meat grinder. You get the idea.

Performances here seem lackluster. Mykelti Williamson, an actor I admire, looks as if he would rather be somewhere else -- he barely registers any facial expressions other than a frown. However, I do credit the talented Williamson with pulling off the one genuinely and ironically funny scene in the entire film.

To his credit, director Ellis exploits 3D effectively by simulating the hurling of objects and body parts into the faces of the audience. That’s part of the fun for the audience, and 3D works well in this regard. But it’s used only superficially and without imagination here. And, although I enjoy 3D, it can be disconcerting to have whole scenes protruding needlessly into the auditorium. It’s one thing to throw objects at the audience for shock effect. It’s quite another when a scene of friends chatting in a coffee shop looks and feels as though they are sipping their lattes while sitting in my lap.

I give The Final Destination two stars. Unfortunately, it takes more than 3D effects -- however well-executed or fun they may be -- and those gory death sequences to make up for the lack of a compelling story, genuine thrills, and strong performances. Still, if you are a fan of the series, you may enjoy how the simulated perception of depth on screen makes for a more tactile viewing experience.

(Released by New Line Cinema and rated “R” for strong violent/gruesome accidents, language and a scene of sexuality.)

Review also posted at www.moviebuffs.com.