This clever storytelling paid off, earning Final Destination 5 a 64% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated film in the franchise. Critics called it "a surprising return to form", praising its "tense, well-crafted set pieces", while audiences gave it a more mixed, yet still favorable, 6.0/10 on IMDb. Financially, it was a massive hit, earning over $157 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. It was a critical and commercial rebound, proving the formula still had life.