The ending the series deserved, even if it was ridiculous

Rating: 6/10 (3 April 2015)

The FF series has been steadily getting more and more ridiculous since 2009's "Fast & Furious", and steadily better as well; its combination of impossible stunts, emotional moments and automotive underpinnings have kept things going nicely. These aren't films that are meant to be realistic or moving - they're simply the best for big screen entertainment that knows its boundaries (unlike many other films) and never fails to enjoy. Naturally, therefore, it seemed that the final instalment - for now, that is - would follow this pattern.
And, thank goodness, it did. The basic story is essentially the same; bad guy criminal is doing bad stuff, police/government get involved, Toretto & Co go in, and the usual car chases, shoot outs and explosions follow. As for the main plot item, it's a software superweapon known as 'Gods Eye', which is used as a deus-ex-machina whenever the plot needs to move on. Speaking of which, it's a very fast paced plot that doesn't bore even for a moment. Even if it is repetitive - which is to be expected - there's nothing inherently wrong with it. For me, it just about works, but the final battle was very long, some scenes didn't seem to want to end and I've never said this about a film before, but I felt it started off too quickly, without enough exposition. In some places too, it did drag, though not to a great extent.
The cast really stand out as the best part of the film.This time, we have Jason Statham playing the bad guy, who happens to be the brother of Owen Shaw, the antagonist for the previous two films. Statham's character is good; unashamedly based on British stereotypes and reassuringly gritty. He's not as sharp as Owen, but he still provides plenty of great moments, such as the coach hijack and the dinner scene in Abu Dhabi. The main cast give the same old performances, which you can't really fault, as the whole series is built around their 'family'. Their subplots, such as Brian learning to be a dad and Letty trying deal with her memory loss, keep things interesting when they aren't being chased or shot. Arguably the best addition is hacking genius Ramsey, played by Game Of Thrones's Nathalie Emmanuel. Unsurprisingly, she quickly becomes part of the team after she is rescued by them. She's the vulnerable side character that keeps the cast balanced, though she doesn't get the screen time she deserves.
But its here that things start to fall apart. There have been plenty of finales in previous F&F films that have been way too over the top to comprehend, and others that didn't do their film justice. This one doesn't fit into any of those types; it's bloated in some parts, but also brilliant in others. It takes too long to finish, but never gets boring or slows down. This problem is also found earlier in the film. The fighting scenes are often so fast-paced that you can't watch them properly, but they're still enjoyable. Some of the car chases are brilliant pieces of cinematography and others are totally unrealistic. It toys from one extreme to another with no middle ground; let me give and example. The Abu Dhabi Party Scene - Good Stuff:
> Roman being his usual self
> Letty getting into an awesome fight
> Well choreographed action, especially Deckard's entrance
And the bad stuff:
> Where was the chip being kept on the car? It seemed like it was in the centre console, so why waist time picking the car up? Seemed like plot convenience to give the other characters more time.
> Driving between buildings; what?
> The rest of the cast were completely forgotten about after Brian and Dom drove out of the building.
Maybe I'm being picky about films that are supposed to be simple. But I love how self aware its predecessors are, with a near perfect balance of action, emotion and comedy. This does do that, but its over shadowed by scenes and stunts that are just a bit too stupid. Maybe if they were a bit shorter they'd be better. Speaking of those scenes, here's a list of what I'm on about:
> The Abu Dhabi party
> The Automated Factory shoot out and get away - Kurt Russel's "Mr Nobody" died way too quickly here.
> Every scene with Gods Eye in it - it was used too many times and got uninteresting.
> Jakande's introduction - the dramatic effect went straight out of the window here due to stupid camera effects.
> The drone - where the hell was the US army, why didn't the drone just do its job and how did it do half the stuff it did?
> Dom's charger driving off after crashing into Owen's Aston Martin - How?
Hmmph. And yet it was enjoyable in some places. And well paced. And well choreographed. They certainly put the effort in, which is always a good thing. But it's just too much to be genuinely enjoyable. It lacks the characteristic, slightly ridiculous tone of the previous films not by trying too hard, but by trying to do too much. If anything, it's all for the final scenes, with Brian on the beach, the Dom/Brian medley and the parting of ways, made all the more somber and heartfelt by Paul's untimely passing. If anything, this is the fan pleasing finale that people wanted, and credit where credits due, some parts are brilliant. They showcase FF's ability to make an action film that knows it limits and balances everything out. You cannot beat them for entertainment value, as they are a cut above the rest. But here we see that ethos falling backwards and being masked by over doing everything. There's so much right with this film, but so much wrong as well.
6/10