7.5/10

Rating: 7/10 (1 April 2015)

I consider myself to be a true fan of the "Fast and Furious" series. I acknowledge that Tokyo Drift is the worst of them, I myself don't like it, and I also am not the biggest fan of the fourth movie, but for the rest I have always liked if not loved the series. Being 19 years old I kind of grew up with it and have seen it evolved, it has been one of my childhood action franchises just as an 80s kid, looking back now, would consider his Die Hards and Lethal Weapons. I have always had an affection towards the movies, I understand they are not Citizen Kane, but I am truly in love with their riveting and exhilarating sense of fun, that probably no other saga can match, and the characters which I always look forward to hang out another time. Five and Six took both of these elements to the next level and still to this day, I consider some of the staple modern action movies, add this to the fact that I always have been a big Paul Walker fan, ever since I was a kid I thought that he should have been an A-list star, and you can understand the excitement I had for this movie. So after that long introduction, the big question, does the film actually match my excitement? I'll tell you what it exceeds it and takes action film limits to an even further level, even though I may still think Six is still my favourite.
Before starting the actual review I want to praise this franchise for how much it has evolved and with the evolution has made every film count more. Now the first Fast and Furious isn't just a street racing movie, but it is seen as the start of this big adventure that takes us to places we would have never imagined with such a sense of fun and self conscious no other action franchise has ever matched.
I just want to get the negatives about of the way, because yes I have to acknowledge them, but I would just like to geek out and write a love letter to the Fast and Furious franchise. The cringe-worthy scenes still remain, the storytelling is logically fragile and it does go totally bonkers in the last five minutes of the third act. But you know what? I did not care that much. I already hear the voices of people judging me for giving such high praise to this franchise. You know, I get it if you didn't like the first four movies, I get it, but really just open your dam mind from and have some fun! There is no place on earth where you will find better crafted entertainment, action is an art and boy do these filmmakers excel at it. It doesn't hold up as well as the others upon further viewings because it really does almost go too over the top, but it manages to walk that fine line almost perfectly for it to be still a blast on re-watch.
From second one, I was jumping in my seat with joy, I was gasping trying to catch my breath, I felt like I was floating with laughter, this is how much fun is this movie. It is a two hour rush of adrenaline. Scene after scene you're thinking how the hell are they going to top that? And they do! There are sequences in this film that impacted me physically. I can't give the director, the stunts, the DPs, everybody enough credit. It really felt like the best action a human could ask for. As I said before, the movie stumbles here and there with some too over the top stuff or some rare times the scenes feel like filler, but you don't even have time to realize it that we already are at the next breath taking set piece. Credit also goes to the cast as always, who makes it even the more fun. There chemistry is stunning and they even bring the right amount of heart for someone like me who actually cares about them.
Now, to the big elephant in the room, how did they handle the death of Paul Walker? I personally think even the greatest minds on earth would have a hard time topping this. From a technical point of view I was always searching for the moment were it would pop on screen and it never came, it's flawless. Moreover, they gave the character such an emotionally correct farewell I had to shed a tear. It was really, really touching. Props to everybody involved, they handled this in the best way and in this occasion I too would like to say goodbye to the actor Paul Walker in his final film. Thanks for your contribution to this amazing action franchise, I can't believe how touching it was for me realizing how many time I had actually passed with you in your films. That ending was such an emotional punch!
Go see this movie and have a blast, if you're being sniffy about it either continue living in your ignorance or open your mind and go have the best fun ever!