The Film
If you aren't caught up on the Fast & Furious franchise, you may not want to read on. You have been warned!
At the end of Fast & Furious 6, there was a little tease to show audiences that Jason Statham would be included in the next installment. One of the hottest action heroes in the hottest action franchise? This series certainly knows how to rev us up for more. Of course, some of that excitement was short-lived. The death of Paul Walker put a dark cloud over the production and almost derailed the seventh installment. The filmmakers ended up pulling together the cast, stunt doubles and a bit of CGI to make Furious 7 a tribute to the late actor. However, it's also a lot of fun.
The latest movie picks up with Brian (Walker) as a doting dad and Dom (Vin Diesel) trying to help Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) remember who she is -- and more importantly, who he is. Of course, domestic life isn't for this crew. It never was.
The band eventually ends up getting back together because Deckard Shaw (Statham) is out for revenge. In case you haven't been keeping score, Deckard Shaw is the brother of Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), our bad guy from the last movie. However, this isn't just any guy out for revenge. It's Jason Statham out for revenge, so you know he also doubles as a special forces assassin.
Even though the reunion plotline has been used in Fast & Furious before, it never seems to get old. After all, these movies are really all about the action. And if that's what really mattered in the film world, Furious 7 would be a freaking Oscar winner.
That's because Furious 7 doesn't just have one bad guy. It actually has two bad guys -- and a lot of cameos. The film manages to squeeze everyone in when it the crew pairs up with Frank Petty, aka "Mr. Nobody" (Kurt Russell), the leader of a black ops team who offers his services if the crew can reclaim the God's Eye, a software program that can track anyone. Oh, and they also need to save the software's creator, British hacker Ramsey (Games of Thrones' Nathalie Emmanuel). Both are currently in the evil clutches of terrorist Mose Jakande (Djimon Hounsou).
That's a lot of movie. Furious 7 is actually more like two movies in one, and has the runtime to back it up. At 138 minutes, it's a bit on the lengthy side. Thankfully, it spends a lot of that time on unbelievable stunts, chase scenes, explosions, and pretty much everything else you'd want in an action movie. Because frankly, if you're sitting down to Furious 7 for the dialogue and tender moments, you need to reevaluate your movie tastes. When it comes to action though, this is fast, furious, and pretty darn awesome. Besides the explosions and chases, it even has plenty of bullets spraying, fists of fury, vehicles falling off of cliffs, cars jumping buildings, cars jumping out of planes, and one kick-ass girl fight (complete with UFC champ Ronda Rousey). Whew.
At one point, Walker's Brian O'Conner exclaims, "Cars can't fly!" In the Fast & Furious world, they most certainly can do that and much more. As ridiculous as the scenarios, stunts and dialogue may be, Furious 7 is also ridiculously entertaining. Enjoy.
Is your engine revved up for more? Check out Tom Fugalli's theatrical review of Furious 7.
The Picture
Why-oh-why did Universal not put out a 3D Blu-ray? Furious 7 was theatrically released in 3D (in international markets) and is filled with shots that would keep viewers bobbing and weaving. Oh well. It's still an incredibly awesome viewing experience.
That's because this 2.40:1 is sharp as a tack. There's a nice shine emitting off the heads of Furious 7's many follicly-challenged stars, as well as a lot of detailed stubble. Veins, clothing, shrapnel, weapons, and crunched cars are all standouts here as well. Also worth mentioning is that Paul Walker died during the filming of Furious 7, so director James Wan used doubles, family members and CGI to finish the movie. However, it all blends well and everything looks business as usual here, without a hint of fakery. Okay, some of the stunts are just too unbelievable to imagine, but really, has there ever been a Fast & Furious movie that wasn't about the eye candy?
The Sound
I'd love to knock this Blu-ray down a peg for not including a Dolby Atmos track. It would be so sweet to have that sort of mix, since this movie has so many moments that seem designed to fly over your head. However, I just can't bring myself to do it; the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix is that good. Like every other Fast & Furious movie, Furious 7 is part action flick, part music video. In other words, it should be the first one you grab when demo time comes around. The track fills the soundfield with screeching tires, rumbling engines, shattering glass, helicopters, explosions, fists of fury, and more. It's like they were looking to squeeze in every sound effect from every action movie ever made. Because of that barrage, know that this is not the type of movie you can watch late at night, unless you plan to wake the entire house -- and maybe even the neighbors. There's just no way around it. It's so loud, but it's so good.
The Extras
Furious 7 has enough special features to keep its fan base revved up and ready for the next installment. There's an extended edition of the movie with an extra two minutes, deleted scenes, a music video, and even a peek at the Fast & Furious Supercharged ride. There's also a piece on the franchise, but it's mainly focused on the various cars and action scenes in the movie. However, isn't that what we want to be focused on when we go into a Fast & Furious movie? The one surprise is that with all of the talk of Paul Walker's death, there isn't a featurette fully dedicated to the late star. That said, he's certainly present in everything that's featured here.
Final Thoughts
To date, Furious 7 has made a whopping $1.5 billion -- billion! While some of that may have to do with the death of Paul Walker, this franchise certainly knows what its audience wants and how to deliver it. This latest installment is a non-stop thrill ride. Of course, they could have cut out some of those more tender moments (not counting the Walker tribute at the very end of the film), but it shines in all of those adrenaline-pumping moments, which thankfully, is a good portion of the movie. Even if you aren't well-versed in the franchise, Furious 7 is worth picking up. This is one ride you'll want to go on, if not just for the AV alone.
Product Details
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