Today’s quick review: Furious 7. When Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), and Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) put a dangerous terrorist behind bars, his older brother, ex-government assassin Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), declares war on them. With the help of Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), a government agent after Shaw, Dom and his crew travel across the world to steal God’s Eye, a program capable of tracking down their elusive enemy.
Furious 7 is an action movie that picks up where Fast & Furious 6 left off. Dom Toretto, Brian O’Conner, and their team have earned their pardons, only to become the targets of Deckard Shaw’s deadly vengeance. Furious 7 improves upon the series formula of fast cars, big stunts, and star power with faster cars, bigger stunts, and even more star power. The quintessential action movie, Furious 7 makes for a fun, breezy watch.
The action in Furious 7 is the same blend of car stunts and conventional action as the last two films, but with even more impressive showpieces. Though the film is short on proper street races, most of the action still centers around muscle cars, technical driving, and improbable applications of the two. The hand-to-hand combat and shootouts give the action some nice variety, while the larger stunts are enough to give the movie a sense of escalation.
Furious 7 keeps another series staple: an impressive ensemble cast led by Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne Johnson. Jason Statham joins the franchise as Deckard Shaw, shoring up the series’ roster of villains, while Kurt Russell comes aboard as Mr. Nobody, a government agent who offers to help Dom take down Shaw. The stars are supported by a solid cast of regulars and newcomers, including Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Ronda Rousey, Tony Jaa, and Ludacris.
In terms of plot, Furious 7 has the usual mixture of elements: dangerous criminals, clandestine government work, and just enough of a personal side to keep the movie tied to its roots. The plot is not particularly tight, but it does a good job of keeping the action flowing. Subplots involving Dom and Brian give the story a touch of heart, but the large cast keeps anyone else from getting more than passing character development.
On the whole, Furious 7 occupies an odd niche. It is a late entry into a long-running franchise with an established formula, yet it manages to feel fresh and entertaining in spite of this. Its formula is not so much tired as honed, and the series’ rotating cast and constant innovation when it comes to spectacle make it a reliable choice for light action. This reliability comes at the cost of repetitive plots and long continuity, but the tradeoff is worhtwhile.
Watch Furious 7 when you are in the mood for top-notch popcorn action. The movie’s reliance on the previous films may make it a confusing watch for newcomers, but its action movie plot, appealing cast, and focus on spectacle make it an easy movie to get into. For any sort of detailed plot or realism, look elsewhere.
7.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for sheer enjoyability.