Tarot is the talk of the horror genre right now, and for good reason. The film has successfully drawn young fans back to theatres for a good scare. Observant viewers quickly noted its resemblance to a beloved horror trope: the tried-and-true formula perfected by the Final Destination franchise.
Tarot vs Final Destination
Very loosely based on Nicholas Adams’s 1992 horror novel Horrorscope, Tarot follows a group of teen friends who decide to dabble with a tarot deck for some eerie fun. Unbeknownst to them, they were in for more than they bargained for. The deck turns out to be cursed, and the friends realize this only when they start dying in the exact ways predicted by the cards. This grim fate is brought about by terrifying entities ensuring their “fortunes” come true in the most improbable and horrifying ways.
Sound familiar?
The Final Destination franchise is a beloved name among horror fans. Each film in the series begins with a group of individuals (often friends or acquaintances) narrowly escaping a deadly event due to one person’s sudden premonition. This individual foresees the deaths and successfully warns the group, allowing them to survive the initial catastrophe. In all five Final Destination movies, the initial survival sets off a chain of events where Death seeks to reclaim those who cheated it. The survivors find themselves caught in increasingly horrific and gruesome circumstances as Death’s design unfolds, ensuring that balance is restored.
That’s right, both Tarot and Final Destination revolve around a concept of premonition or foreknowledge of death. In Tarot, the tarot cards predict the friends’ deaths, while in Final Destination, a character has a vision of a deadly event that saves a group from initial doom.
So, basically, if we’re honest, Tarot is just a 2024 version of Final Destination.
Tarot Is Just 2024’s Final Destination
When you step back and take a longer look at the two, you’ll see the pattern. Creative and sequential deaths, cursed elements, premonition and predetermined fate, and obnoxious characters worthy of punishment.
The other reason why Tarot is 2024’s Final Destination is its predictability. We’ve seen this before – multiple times, in fact. Remember the log truck scene? The latter film franchise made a winning formula that they have successfully replicated repeatedly. By the way, Final Destination: Bloodlines arrives in 2025.
No one is saying that the movie isn’t good or that the twist wasn’t enough to make Tarot unique, but it is still following the same formula, albeit a good one. Tarot is a fun horror movie. And if you haven’t, you should definitely check it out for yourself, especially if you are a fan of Final Destination.
Do you agree that Tarot is 2024’s Final Destination? Also, find out how Tarot is connected to Insidious.
Tarot |
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When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings, they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death. |
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| Studio: Screen Gems, Alloy Entertainment, Ground Control |
| Running Time: 1h 32m |
| Release Date: May 3, 2024 |
| Cast: Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika, Wolfgang Novogratz, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, Olwen Fouéré, Jacob Batalon |
| Director: Spenser Cohen, Anna Halberg |
| Writers: Spenser Cohen, Anna Halberg |
| Genre: Horror |
| Box Office: $29.9 million |
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