Some might argue the “Fast and Furious” movies are everything that’s wrong with Hollywood: car chases, violence, objectification of women, the list goes on. Others might counter that movies are supposed to be fun, above anything. Chances are, anyone who’s seen one or more of the six cop-crime racing “Fast and Furious” movies knows exactly whose side of the argument they’re on, and what they’ll think of James Wan’s “Furious 7,” the series’ latest installment.
For those less familiar with the series, the plot of “Furious 7” follows Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew of illegal street racers — though by the end of “Fast & Furious 6,” all criminal records have been cleared with help from FBI agent Hobbs (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), including the criminal record of former FBI agent Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker).
Dom’s girlfriend, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), is also a big player. She had lost her memories in a car crash at the end of “Fast Five” but decided to continue her romance with Dom by the end of “Fast & Furious 6.” Tej (Ludacris) is the tech expert and Roman (Tyrese Gibson) serves as comic relief.
The crew wasn’t always so small. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), brother of the “Fast & Furious 6” villain, kills a dear crew member very early on in “Furious 7.” He also blows up Dom’s house, almost killing Brian, his wife and child. The rest of the film is fueled by the crew’s desire for revenge. Dom explains, “It ain’t just about being fast.” This time, they’re furious.
This anger comes through in more ways than one for “Furious 7,” as actor Paul Walker was killed in a car crash during production in 2013. Controversially, director James Wan employed Walker’s brothers to take his place for some scenes. The change is really only noticeable if one knows to look, and the movie’s final scenes acknowledge Walker’s passing in a very respectful way. His cast mates, Diesel in particular, have been vocal about how much Walker meant to them, as if they were family.
Indeed, “family” is possibly the most important f-word in the “Fast and Furious” franchise. The affection the cast has for one another very much carries onto the screen, raising the emotional stakes and making for a better movie.
Yet the action sequences still carry the weight of the film, and “Furious 7” does not disappoint in this department. Car chases abound, and the cars drive beautifully. Though the best scenes are exploited in the unavoidable trailers and TV spots, it’s still a challenge not to gasp or wince a little at the spectacular, albeit ridiculous, stunts.
Early in the movie, Brian’s toddler throws his toy car across the sidewalk. “Cars don’t fly!” admonishes Brian. Yet later in the film, thanks to some parachutes, cars do fly — right onto a twisted road in the middle of a mountain range. Plausible? No. But entertaining? Undeniably so.
Just as entertaining are the hand-to-hand combat scenes. Watching the solid block of muscle that is The Rock duke it out with Jason Statham is incredibly satisfying to any action fan, and Michelle Rodriguez taking on UFC fighter Ronda Rousey proves the genre is not just a boy’s club.
That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of sexed-up bikini models gyrating to the — admittedly excellent — hip-hop soundtrack. While Roman and his notoriously big mouth is the worst sexist offender, it’s impossible to ignore the total objectification of women in many of the party scenes. This, sadly, is what audiences have come to expect from the franchise. But keeping this in mind, the sexism is tame compared to what it could have been.
It’s undoubtedly problematic, but it’s also overshadowed by Rodriguez’s general female badassery. She’s a master of action sequences, and her chemistry with Diesel is also excellent. The two stare so meaningfully at each other that dialogue is practically unnecessary.
Which is fine, because when they do speak, they often have nothing to say. None of them do. This is most evident when Dwayne “The One-Liner” Johnson takes center stage. In fact, it’s possible that all his lines in “Furious 7” are one-liners.
Diesel, however, truly is the star of the show. His physique is impressive, and he’s an excellent fighter, but he also wears his heart on his sleeve surprisingly well. When the film ends in a tribute to Brian/Paul Walker (who also does impressively well with some heavy sequences), one immediately recognizes the real emotion involved.
Still, however much it improves the story, emotion is merely an accessory to the hot-blooded action in “Furious 7.” Franchise fans won’t be disappointed, and newcomers, if they can get past the sexism, will be in for a certifiably fun ride.
