Furious 7 review

BEST NEW PICTURE

Furious 7 is the newest instalment in the long-running The Fast and the Furious franchise. It's also the first one I've watched. Thankfully, this is a great piece of testosterone-fuelled fun, with just enough substance to serve as high-quality entertainment.


When Dominic (Vin Diesel) and his family come under attack by Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), he resolves to hunt Shaw down, alongside his crew, consisting of Tej (Ludacris), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), and Brian (played by the late Paul Walker). This is my introduction to the Fast and the Furious team, and the film does a good job of helping me get to know these characters. There's some rocky parts in the beginning that seem to be leaning on previous familiarity with the characters, but each of their situations is easy to figure out, even if that comes in part from clunky exposition. It soon becomes clear that the dynamic between the different members of the team are as important a part of the series as the sexy cars and the numerous explosions, if not more so, as these are some really fun characters. Dominic is the charismatic action lead, while Brian is just as charming. Letty is every bit as tough as the dudes, while Roman is the funny man and Tej is the techie, though both can also hold their own in a fight. Each of these characters is compelling and charming in their own way, and combined they make a very solid ensemble for the film.

Still, it would be out of place for Furious 7 to not have the cars, and it boasts those aplenty. A lot of the film is based on some variation of a driving scene, be it a straightforward high-speed chase, a rescue mission in a mountain trail, or keeping a key character away from a predator drone. These are defined by quick cuts between the racers and different parts of the car, both on the outside and the inside, and the camera moving sleekly across the typically nice cars. Not all the action is in the driving, though, as the film also has several fist fights and even a shootout at one point. While these scenes do have some of the more unpopular trends of modern action direction (near-constant cutting, for example), it's never difficult to tell what's going on, and doesn't take away from the extremely well-choreographed action. Several of the starring characters show off their acrobatic skills against the backdrop of the film's huge set pieces, making for great entertainment.

Of course, the film wouldn't be complete without the other main ingredient of a good action movie: a sense of humour. There's plenty of great funny moments in the film, coming from a diverse variety of characters and especially as a natural extension of the main team's great chemistry. The film's comedic timing is consistently excellent, and jokes only fall flat when they're intended to, and even then said jokes are always actually the butt of the joke. Alongside the humour is the typical over-the-top moments that make the action genre so beloved, something that Furious 7 has in abundance. One of the first things we see in the movie, in fact, is a character walking out of a building that's falling apart behind him, all while the footage is slowing down and speeding up to put emphasis on the sheer coolness of the moment. These are the most memorable parts of the film, but they're not quite the best.

No, that comes in the surprisingly solid dramatic chops that the film shows. As this is an over-the-top action film, moments of it are inevitably overwrought, but that's part of the charm. In fact, despite the inevitable handful of dumb moments, Furious 7 shows an unexpected level of intelligence for the series. A solid part of the narrative is based on the relationship between Dominic and Letty, who we can tell has some connection to him but has lost her memory. This allows for a couple solid character moments, especially near the start and near the end. Alongside this is Brian's connection to his family, which results in some really touching moments when you see Brian spending time with his child and generally being a good dad. The main plot itself carries a certain tone of finality, as characters declare that they want to attend no more funerals-something that hits closer to home after Paul Walker's recent death. Speaking of which, the film includes a highly touching tribute to him as its final scene, which serves as one of the emotional high points.

One thing Furious 7 delights in is showing off its varied settings. Whenever we're introduced to a new location, the camera is sure to give us an attractive look at the area that doubtless doubles as a travel ad. This is, again, part of the charm, keeping with the tone set by the sexy cars. However, another thing that these movies are known for, the beautiful people, has been toned down. Scenes focusing on some scantily-clad woman's body are far fewer than you might expect, and while they're still there, they're outweighed by scenes with the major female characters, who are depicted much more tactfully. One scene, which involves Letty fighting with a female bodyguard, resembles less a catfight than the same brand of action scene, although other moments in the film don't keep such tact - be aware, there are still moments where girls are dressed up to be ogled in this film.

The soundtrack is a mix of a solid original score and an entertaining selection of hip-hop and electronic music. Usually, which is used is based on the tone of the scene. Those based more on comedy, debauchery, or "badassitude" are accompanied by the licensed tracks, while more dramatic or intense scenes are paired with the orchestral score. Both aren't necessarily brilliant, but are enjoyable enough to serve the purposes of the film.

Yes, Furious 7 revels in testosterone-based pleasures, but it's damn good at it, and boasts a little dramatic heft beneath that. As far as dumb Hollywood action films go, this is probably about as good as it's gonna get. Boasting entertaining set pieces, great choreography, a solid sense of humour and a surprisingly compelling story on top of it, this is as good a place to jump on to this series as any, and has certainly made me a fan.

8/10