An Action Movie That Gives The People What They Want

Rating: 8/10 (2 May 2015)

Like fine wine and stinky French cheese, The Fast and the Furious franchise has gotten better with age. Upon its debut 14 years ago, it started as a bird-brained (but entertaining) action caper with one eye on a fast car and the other on a fast woman. Don't be mistaken — those attributes are still riding high as of 2015 — but beginning with 2011's Fast Five, the franchise had an epiphany. It realized that story lines, dialogue, acting, really anything artistic, was not its strong suit; action was. Ever since, the movies have transformed into well-oiled beasts in on the fun, light on plot and heavy on all things that involve an adrenaline hit. Furious 7, said to be the last of the franchise due to Paul Walker's tragic death in 2013, is the best of the bunch, providing for a fitting tribute to its leading man while giving the people what they want and then some.
Picking up right where Fast & Furious 6 left off, the crew returns to deal with Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), the vindictive brother of the last villain they defeated. Old friends return to join the fight as well as new faces, including Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), the head of a covert ops team, and Megan Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), a British hacker. Shaw has not come alone, though; on his side is dangerous mercenary Mose Jakande (Djimon Hounsou), and his massive team of agile henchman.
Whereas The Avengers work together because the government forces them to, the diverse, familial characters in Furious 7 align out of loyalty, respect. Now that we've gotten to know them for more than a decade, the chemistry between them is almost effortless, and in a movie as skimpy on plot as this one, a crackling compatibility is a good thing. The constant grunting about all things family by the hulking Vin Diesel still harbor enough cheesy sentimentality to cause an unintentional laugh here and there, but his feelings are warranted — with only a single main character out of the picture, something feels off. It's a movie that thrives on affinity.
Regardless of its newfound dramatic heave, though, Furious 7 is, first and foremost, about action. Containing sequences choreographed so impressively that suspense is basically inevitable, it would be impolite not to carry a suddenly quickened heartbeat on our sleeve. This is the kind of film where expensive cars are driven off private jets, pass through three (three!) skyscraper windows at high speed, and dive from cliffs with little to no injury to the driver. Keep in mind that these scenes sometimes last for ten minutes, thus torturing our serenity and collected calm. Fact is, Furious 7 isn't interested in appetizers; it skips straight to rich, hearty dessert.
Years ago, I would have never expected to find myself a fan of this dopey franchise. Lately, however, it's been hopeless to try and resist its electrifying zest. Furious 7 is a movie of polished, professional action. Fans won't be disappointed, and those seeking an adventure will find themselves more than pleased. Walker would be proud of the finished product — it would be hard not to be.
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