An immense shadow hung over the seventh installment in the blockbuster Fast and Furious franchise in the form of star Paul Walker who was tragically killed in 2013 while at work on the film. But Walker’s fellow cast and crew would not let his work or memory go uncompleted, and have crafted an action packed and very heartfelt new addition to the franchise with Fast and Furious 7 in his honor.
After defeating Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) and his crew, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) and the rest of the crew are able to return to the United States and live the normal life again as they had wanted, but Owen’s older brother, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is after Dominic, seeking revenge for the death of his brother, putting the entire crew in danger once more. After learning of Han’s death, the crew sets out to find the man who killed one of their own, before he finds them first.
Stepping It Up A Notch
Fast & Furious 7 starts with action, and doesn’t let up. The Toretto crew have a dangerous new adversary in Jason Statham’s mercenary assassin Deckard Shaw, who’s out for Dom’s blood, and this creates some seriously good action scenes. Vin Diesel, and his co-stars are on point all through the film, and their ready for anything, and director James Wan gives ample screen time to both brutal close quarter combat and full out vehicular warfare! You’ve never seen car chases or fist fights like these before, and Wan and his team go all out. It’s like having adrenaline shot into your eyes, with the film’s Abu Dubai stunt piece, featuring Dom behind the wheel of a Lykan HyperSport, being one of the most mind blowing things you’ll ever see on a cinema screen (whatever you do buy a ticket for an IMAX screening because this scene goes beyond the description of the word epic). Every character gets their moment to shine, and kick ass, and a compelling story that links back to the franchise’s core idea of the Toretto/O’Connor family unit really ties everything nicely together.
The Legacy
But what raises Fast & Furious 7 above all of the other installments in the franchise is its importance to the idea of preserving a legacy for lead actor Paul Walker. While we were expecting some very bittersweet moments, Walker is so good, and natural in the film as Brian O’Connor that more often than not we found ourselves being absorbed into the story, and not focusing on his absence or the notion of sentiment. Fast & Furious 7’s central idea is about the journey home, and Wan facilitates this by bringing back some well known characters, as well as returning to the epic desert heartland of Race Wars! Walker’s relationship to the other characters continues to be the heart of the movie, particularly his relationship to Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto, and the scenes that these two performers share are unbelievably compelling, and powerful. You can’t help but start smiling when you see these two brothers back on screen together again.
Fast & Furious 7 is an in-your-face and out of control action spectacle that will throw its audience back against their seats, along with honouring the legacy of the franchise, and one of its most important parts with the performance of Paul Walker. It’s an experience not to be missed, and those who love fast cars will have a totally enjoyable time.