Solid Installment with a Touching Conclusion

Rating: 9/10 (10 April 2015)

Ridiculous, over the top, and somehow fantastic, Furious 7 is another very very fun installment in the franchise. It's crazy how Five, Six, and now 7 are all considered the best installments. How often can you get quality films 5, 6, and 7 movies deep? The dialogue is a bit stilted at times, and there are moments when the CGI Paul Walker is pretty noticeable, but for the most part, this is a very well-done film. James Wan brings incredible vision and skillful direction to the franchise. I can only imagine the woes this production underwent as a result of one of its main stars, and while the ending clearly was added later on, it is basically perfect. I can't think of a more tasteful way they could have handled things. Without spoilers, this is a very loving tribute to Paul Walker. His presence is felt throughout the whole movie, but the ending especially really hits close to home and weighs heavy in the spirit of Paul. I think he would have been proud. It will be interesting to see where they are going to take things from here, and especially whether or not this will be as successful minus one of the leads. After the excellence of Furious 7, I'm definitely ready for whatever they are going to churn up next, even though the way this ended felt like a very fitting conclusion for the franchise as a whole.