It’s been a week of excess for horror film fans, with both “The Final Destination” and “Halloween II” arriving in theaters.

The two films come from different ends of the horror spectrum, yet both have a lot in common – the biggest thing being neither is worth your time.

“Final Destination” continues the popular series about teens who cheat death, only to have it come back with a vengeance.

This time, several friends go to the local raceway to watch a NASCAR-like race. When one of teens named Nick (Bobby Campo) has a premonition that the race is about to turn deadly with a horrific car crash, he quickly saves his friends.

But the relief is short lived once the friends realize that they may have survived temporarily, but death is just around the corner.

I’ll admit this series has been hit and miss. In the hands of director James Wong (who did the original and part 3), this has been an almost darkly comic series where Death becomes this unseen character that kind of winks at the audience as he enacts his unique – and at times quite clever – measures of revenge.

That element is missing here in the hands of director David R. Ellis, who also directed part 2. Like that installment, this is a film that is more about outlandish mouse traps and less about establishing tension with a sense of humor on the side.

At 82 minutes, the deaths are almost herded onto the screen like a flock of sheep, making the end result mind-numbing.

It also doesn’t help that the film cheats with not one, but two flashback sequences just so it can pad the death count.

The film is available in standard 2-D or 3-D format, but it doesn’t really matter which version you see. The 3-D effects are really nothing more than body parts splattering, so it doesn’t add much to the experience. Not even a pair of cheap glasses can hide the fact that this installment is definitely the worst in the bunch.

In this week’s other horror entry, “Halloween II,” writer/director Rob Zombie returns to recreate the series made famous by Bowling Green’s own John Carpenter.

Zombie has taken the series in a completely different direction, with Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton) struggling to come to terms with the attack by her brother, Michael Myers.

When the serial killer’s body mysteriously disappears on the way to the morgue, it is dismissed as a coincidence. Flash forward to one year later, when Michael reemerges, determined to finish off his sister once and for all.

I’ll give Zombie credit, the man knows how to make a horror film. There are some genuine scares and some interesting moments in “Halloween II” that give it a slight edge over “Final Destination.” I especially like the vague ending, which can be left to interpretation – something not common in most films in the genre.

Unfortunately, Zombie also chooses to add some David Lynch-type moments involving his wife, Sherri Moon Zombie. She plays Michael Myers’ dead mother, who appears throughout the film in a white angelic light, serving as sort of a spiritual guide during Michael’s killing spree. It’s a touch that is never fully explained that becomes hokier and hokier the more it is used.

It’s as if Zombie has tried to make the first arthouse slasher flick, keeping the film interesting – but ultimately not able to hide the fact that like “Destination,” it can’t compare to its predecessor.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “State of Play” (B), a smart and intriguing thriller that features a quality cast and some nice dramatic moments.

Based on a BBC mini-series, “State of Play” tells the story of an up-and-coming congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) caught up in controversy when his research assistant dies in an apparent suicide.

With her death comes the discovery of an affair between the deceased and Collins – just the tip of a major conspiracy waiting to be uncovered.

Enter Collins’ long-time friend Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), a veteran investigative reporter for a Washington newspaper. McAffrey reluctantly teams up with one of the newspaper’s young Internet reporters (Rachel McAdams), determined to uncover the truth behind the young lady’s death and clear his friend’s name.

Crowe is the anchor of a strong cast that really makes “State of Play” click. Some of the best scenes involve Crowe and his editor (played by Academy award-winner Helen Mirren) debating the moral center of the film – what is more important in today’s instant media world, accuracy or being the first to report? As a newspaper person, it was an argument that obviously held my interest, but I think non-newspaper employees will find it interesting as well.

Jason Bateman is also very good in a small role that is very important to the film’s mystery and best left unspoiled in this review.

The film does have its flaws. I thought the plot twists got a little too convoluted by the end and I really wish the film had stopped about one twist sooner than it did.

Still, I really enjoyed “State of Play” and have a deep appreciation for a film willing to challenge and entertain.

“State of Play” is rated PG-13 for some violence, language including sexual references and brief drug content and is now available on DVD.

— Proving to be a man of many technological talents sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton is ready help your movie-going experience. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mcompton428 for instant thoughts, visit his new blog at http://mcompton.wordpress.com for more detailed looks at film and local sports, or e-mail mcompton@bgdailynews.com to get a little more personal.