Alex Browning
Encyclopedia
Alexander Chance Browning is the protagonist
of Final Destination portrayed by Devon Sawa
. He is a senior student of Mt. Abraham High and is one of the students aboard Voleé Airlines Flight 180. He is the sixth survivor of Flight 180 to die.
Alex was born on September 25, 1981 in the fictional town of Mt. Abraham, New York
to Ken and Barbara Browning. He has been friends with siblings Tod and George Waggner since childhood and had been his classmates through high school since then. He is studying at Mt. Abraham High and is the rival of Carter Horton. He frequently fights with Carter whenever they're together and often can't control his actions. He is one of the students qualified to travel to Paris
, France
for the school's annual field trip.
In the film, Alex, along with his classmates and teachers, are board Voleé Airlines Flight 180 to Paris. While onboard, Alex had an ominous vision of the plane exploding in mid-air. After warning everyone about it, he and some of his schoolmates are removed from the plane. While waiting at the airport, Alex witnesses the plane explode as he predicted. FBI Agent Schreck and Agent Weine interview the survivors afterwards and believe that Alex was a suicide terrorist. While attending the memorial for the victims, Alex notices both agents carefully observing him and develops a relationship with Clear Rivers. Tod and Terry Chaney die afterwards and the Waggner household's anger towards Alex grows further. With the help of Clear, Alex encounters William Bludworth, a mortician who knows more about Death
than anyone else. Later that night, Alex realizes that Death is claiming back their lives which should've been lost on the plane, and is attacking them according to the order of their deaths on the plane. Alex and Clear attempt to save the remaining survivors, but fail in their attempts, with the exception of Carter. Knowing he is next to die, Alex suddenly realizes that he had exchanged seats in his original premonition, thus Clear will die before him. Finding Clear at her car trapped by livewires, Alex sacrifices himself by touching the wires to let her escape. It is revealed later on that Alex survived the electrocution. Now in Paris
, the films ends with Carter saving Alex from a falling neon sign, but the sign swings back and kills Carter instead.
In the alternate ending of the film, Alex and Clear had sex
on the beach before meeting Carter and Billy Hitchcock at their school, resulting in Clear's pregnancy
. Later on, Alex dies of the electrocution while attempting to save Clear from the car and livewires. Nine months later, Clear gives birth to Alex Jr. and reunites with Carter, safe in the knowledge that they have finally defeated Death.
However in Final Destination 2
, Clear exposes to Kimberly Corman that Alex died by being bludgeoned on the head by a dislodged brick from a nearby building. He briefly appeared in Final Destination 5.
The role of Alex Browning was the challenging part for the writers, since they wanted Alex to show a variety of differing emotions throughout the film. The role of Alex, the last one cast, went to Canadian actor Devon Sawa
, who previously starred in the 1999 film Idle Hands
. Sawa commented that when "[he] read the script on a plane, it just freaked him out" and "[he] went down and met Glen and Jim and [he] thought they were amazing and already had some great ideas". However, writers Glen Morgan
and James Wong
were still not sure about casting him, so asked him to perform again and reviewed his previous work. Morgan was amazed by his performance in Idle Hands and Sawa was hired. Sawa described his role as "in the beginning, [Alex] was kinda loopy and cotter, and you know, probably not the most popular guy in school. I think he might have been a dork, you know, doing their stuff and they had their own thing going and they're after the two beautiful girls in school, but there's no chance of that happening. I guess after the plane goes down, his world completely changes." Perry was amazed by Sawa's vulnerability in acting, describing him as "a very distinctive actor". "He's very loose and he's kind of a cut-up when he's not on camera; but the moment the camera's on, I'd never seen anybody to completely slide right through the moment." Perry added. The character's surname was based by writer Jeffrey Reddick
to American director Tod Browning
, who directed both horror classics Dracula
and Freaks. Besides Alex, Wong also chose the name of Alex's best friend, Tod Waggner, as a reference to the director's first name.
His performance earned Sawa a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
, and a nomination from Blockbuster Enertainment Awards for Favorite Actor in Horror (Internet Only). Moreover, Sawa's performance of Alex received generally positive reviews among critics. Stephen Holden
of the New York Times commented that "The disaster and Alex's premonitions set up a heavy-handed fable about death and teenage illusions of invulnerability.", while Jami Bernard of the New York Daily News
noted that "Sawa is solid as an Everyteen saddled with a rare and unwelcome gift". David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews remarked "Sawa's personable turn as the hero is matched by a uniformly effective supporting cast rife with familiar faces (i.e. Seann William Scott, Brendan Fehr, Tony Todd, etc)..."; while Joe Leydon
of Variety
pointed out that "Sawa is credible as the second-sighted Alex --- unlike many other actors cast a teen protagonists, he actually looks like he might still be attending high school --- but the supporting players are an uneven bunch." Mick LaSalle
of the San Francisco Chronicle
praised Sawa and Ali Larter
's pairing, observing that "Larter and Sawa, who becomes more scruffy and wild-eyed as the film progresses, make an appealing pair." Dustin Putman of TheMovieBoy.com praised Sawa's performance, saying:
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of Final Destination portrayed by Devon Sawa
Devon Sawa
Devon Edward Sawa is a Canadian actor. Although he appears in independent films, he is best known for portraying the part of Alex Browning in the 1999 movie Final Destination...
. He is a senior student of Mt. Abraham High and is one of the students aboard Voleé Airlines Flight 180. He is the sixth survivor of Flight 180 to die.
Alex was born on September 25, 1981 in the fictional town of Mt. Abraham, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Ken and Barbara Browning. He has been friends with siblings Tod and George Waggner since childhood and had been his classmates through high school since then. He is studying at Mt. Abraham High and is the rival of Carter Horton. He frequently fights with Carter whenever they're together and often can't control his actions. He is one of the students qualified to travel to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for the school's annual field trip.
In the film, Alex, along with his classmates and teachers, are board Voleé Airlines Flight 180 to Paris. While onboard, Alex had an ominous vision of the plane exploding in mid-air. After warning everyone about it, he and some of his schoolmates are removed from the plane. While waiting at the airport, Alex witnesses the plane explode as he predicted. FBI Agent Schreck and Agent Weine interview the survivors afterwards and believe that Alex was a suicide terrorist. While attending the memorial for the victims, Alex notices both agents carefully observing him and develops a relationship with Clear Rivers. Tod and Terry Chaney die afterwards and the Waggner household's anger towards Alex grows further. With the help of Clear, Alex encounters William Bludworth, a mortician who knows more about Death
Death (personification)
The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
than anyone else. Later that night, Alex realizes that Death is claiming back their lives which should've been lost on the plane, and is attacking them according to the order of their deaths on the plane. Alex and Clear attempt to save the remaining survivors, but fail in their attempts, with the exception of Carter. Knowing he is next to die, Alex suddenly realizes that he had exchanged seats in his original premonition, thus Clear will die before him. Finding Clear at her car trapped by livewires, Alex sacrifices himself by touching the wires to let her escape. It is revealed later on that Alex survived the electrocution. Now in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the films ends with Carter saving Alex from a falling neon sign, but the sign swings back and kills Carter instead.
In the alternate ending of the film, Alex and Clear had sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
on the beach before meeting Carter and Billy Hitchcock at their school, resulting in Clear's pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
. Later on, Alex dies of the electrocution while attempting to save Clear from the car and livewires. Nine months later, Clear gives birth to Alex Jr. and reunites with Carter, safe in the knowledge that they have finally defeated Death.
However in Final Destination 2
Final Destination 2
Final Destination 2 is a 2003 supernatural horror film and the sequel to the 2000 film Final Destination and was directed by David R. Ellis. It was written by Jeffrey Reddick, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ali Larter, A. J. Cook, Michael Landes and Tony Todd...
, Clear exposes to Kimberly Corman that Alex died by being bludgeoned on the head by a dislodged brick from a nearby building. He briefly appeared in Final Destination 5.
The role of Alex Browning was the challenging part for the writers, since they wanted Alex to show a variety of differing emotions throughout the film. The role of Alex, the last one cast, went to Canadian actor Devon Sawa
Devon Sawa
Devon Edward Sawa is a Canadian actor. Although he appears in independent films, he is best known for portraying the part of Alex Browning in the 1999 movie Final Destination...
, who previously starred in the 1999 film Idle Hands
Idle Hands
Idle Hands is a 1999 horror comedy film directed by Rodman Flender, written by Terri Hughes and Ron Milbauer, and starring Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Elden Henson, Jessica Alba, and Vivica A. Fox...
. Sawa commented that when "[he] read the script on a plane, it just freaked him out" and "[he] went down and met Glen and Jim and [he] thought they were amazing and already had some great ideas". However, writers Glen Morgan
Glen Morgan
Glen Morgan is an American television producer, writer, and director.-Biography:Morgan is best known for his screen work with long-time writing partner James Wong, including The X-Files, Millennium, Space: Above and Beyond, the Final Destination series, The One, Willard, and the 2006 remake of...
and James Wong
James Wong (producer)
James 'Jim' Wong is a Cantonese-American television producer, writer, and film director notable for his screen works of The X-Files, Space: Above and Beyond, Millennium, Final Destination 1 & 3, The One, and the remakes of Willard and Black Christmas along with writing partner Glen...
were still not sure about casting him, so asked him to perform again and reviewed his previous work. Morgan was amazed by his performance in Idle Hands and Sawa was hired. Sawa described his role as "in the beginning, [Alex] was kinda loopy and cotter, and you know, probably not the most popular guy in school. I think he might have been a dork, you know, doing their stuff and they had their own thing going and they're after the two beautiful girls in school, but there's no chance of that happening. I guess after the plane goes down, his world completely changes." Perry was amazed by Sawa's vulnerability in acting, describing him as "a very distinctive actor". "He's very loose and he's kind of a cut-up when he's not on camera; but the moment the camera's on, I'd never seen anybody to completely slide right through the moment." Perry added. The character's surname was based by writer Jeffrey Reddick
Jeffrey Reddick
Jeffrey Reddick is an American screenwriter best known for creating The Final Destination series. He also wrote the horror film Tamara and the remake of Day of the Dead. Raised in Jackson, Kentucky, he graduated Breathitt County High School in 1987 and attended Berea College...
to American director Tod Browning
Tod Browning
Tod Browning was an American motion picture actor, director and screenwriter.Browning's career spanned the silent and talkie eras...
, who directed both horror classics Dracula
Dracula (1931 film)
Dracula is a 1931 vampire-horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the title character. The film was produced by Universal and is based on the stage play of the same name by Hamilton Deane and John L...
and Freaks. Besides Alex, Wong also chose the name of Alex's best friend, Tod Waggner, as a reference to the director's first name.
His performance earned Sawa a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Performance by a Younger Actor:- References :* , Saturn Awards...
, and a nomination from Blockbuster Enertainment Awards for Favorite Actor in Horror (Internet Only). Moreover, Sawa's performance of Alex received generally positive reviews among critics. Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
of the New York Times commented that "The disaster and Alex's premonitions set up a heavy-handed fable about death and teenage illusions of invulnerability.", while Jami Bernard of the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
noted that "Sawa is solid as an Everyteen saddled with a rare and unwelcome gift". David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews remarked "Sawa's personable turn as the hero is matched by a uniformly effective supporting cast rife with familiar faces (i.e. Seann William Scott, Brendan Fehr, Tony Todd, etc)..."; while Joe Leydon
Joe Leydon
Joseph Patrick Michael "Joe" Leydon is an American film critic and historian. A critic and correspondent for Variety and a contributing writer for MovieMaker Magazine, he is the author of Joe Leydon's Guide to Essential Movies You Must See and a contributing critic for Leonard Maltin's Movie...
of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
pointed out that "Sawa is credible as the second-sighted Alex --- unlike many other actors cast a teen protagonists, he actually looks like he might still be attending high school --- but the supporting players are an uneven bunch." Mick LaSalle
Mick LaSalle
Mick LaSalle is an American Mick LaSalle is an [[United States|American]] Mick LaSalle is an [[United States|American]] [[film reviewer] and the author of two books on pre-[[Motion Picture Production Code|Hays Code]] Hollywood...
of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
praised Sawa and Ali Larter
Ali Larter
Alison Elizabeth "Ali" Larter is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the dual roles of Niki Sanders and Jessica Sanders on the NBC science fiction drama Heroes as well as her guest roles on several television shows in the 1990s.Larter's screen debut came in the 1999 film...
's pairing, observing that "Larter and Sawa, who becomes more scruffy and wild-eyed as the film progresses, make an appealing pair." Dustin Putman of TheMovieBoy.com praised Sawa's performance, saying:
Devon Sawa, a rising star who put his physical comedy skills to good use in 1999's underseen slasher-comedy, "Idle Hands," is even more of a charismatic presence here. The conflicting emotions he feels for his survival, which he comes to believe he wasn't meant to do, as well as the loss of the other passengers, is superbly and subtly acted on his part. One scene, in which he is watching a news report on the crash and slowly begins to break down is especially realistic and powerful.