Furious 7 (2015) [Blu-ray]
Action | Crime | Thriller

Dominic Toretto, Brian O'Conner & Hobbs are targeted by a cold-blooded black-ops assassin with a score to settle, and their only hope is to get behind the wheel again and secure an ingenious prototype tracking device. Facing their greatest threat yet in places as far away as Abu Dhabi and as familiar as the Los Angeles streets they call home, the crew must come together once again as a team, and as a family, to protect their own.

Storyline: Dominic and his crew thought they'd left the criminal mercenary life behind. They'd defeated international terrorist Owen Shaw and went their separate ways. But now, Shaw's brother, Deckard Shaw, is out killing the crew one by one for revenge. Worse, a Somalian terrorist called Jakarde and a shady government official called "Mr. Nobody" are both competing to steal a computer terrorism program called "God's Eye," that can turn any technological device into a weapon. Torretto must reconvene with his team to stop Shaw and retrieve the God's Eye program while caught in a power struggle between the terrorist and the United States government.

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, August 27, 2015 -- This time it ain't just about being fast.

When one considers cinema's top franchises -- Star Wars, James Bond, Harry Potter -- The Fast and the Furious isn't usually the first to rev up to the tip of the tongue. Arguably the loudest and most muscular of all the franchises is also one of the sneakiest on its way up the charts, currently sitting as the seventh-most lucrative of all time thanks in large part, coincidentally, to its seventh installment. Furious 7 absolutely blew up the charts, throttling its way to a billion dollars in ticket sales faster than any other movie in cinema history (at least until Jurassic World stomped its way to the top; pretty solid year for Universal, no?), zipping on past a couple of A-listers -- literally -- in Avatar and The Avengers on its way to a total worldwide gross of around $1.5 billion. The franchise is throwing around some serious numbers as a result, and who could have ever thought it would explode to such incredible heights? Much like the entire franchise, the first film is itself sneaky-good, one of the better Action movies of its generation and the foundation for what has become not just a collection of films but a cinematic family that's grown together and evolved to be sure but still solidly constructed on that deep core cemented back in 2001. That core, of course, was forever changed during filming, but Furious 7 marches on as not only a spectacular film and arguably the best the franchise has to offer but also a fitting final tribute to its fallen star.

A new, revenge-minded enemy named Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) has his sights set on Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew. But action is the furthest thing from their minds. Dom is working hard to rebuild his relationship with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who has lost her memory. Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) has traded in his street racer for a minivan and is living life as a father with his son Jack (Miller and Charlie Kimsey) and girlfriend Mia (Jordana Brewster). But their transition into a simpler world won't come quietly. Shaw puts DSS Agent and friend of the group, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), in the hospital and turns his sights on the others. To beat him, however, they're going to need help. Enter Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), a black ops type who promises to aid the crew in bringing Shaw down if they in turn retrieve an advanced global tracking system known as "God's Eye" and rescue its creator, a hacker extraordinaire named Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), before she and the device fall into the wrong hands. Now, the crew must drive around the globe to secure the cargo and ensure a showdown with its nemesis.

The franchise's evolution from "undercover sting into the world illegal street racing" to arguably the biggest, baddest Action franchise going today makes for an interesting case study in cinema evolution. Furious 7 retains the franchise's core elements of muscle cars, musclebound heroes, and sexy women but shows its full evolution to wild, gun-toting, blow-stuff-up, insane stunt extravaganza that actually still works very well as an extension of the series' core values and the characters' central qualities. Furious 7 sees no shortage of iconic, breathtaking action moments that will leave audiences shouting "wow!" and "dang!" as it doesn't just settle for more of the same recycled antics but rather innovates with dangerously cool stunts and sequences that embody both the franchise's traditional four-wheeled mayhem as well as its newfound foray into top-shelf action. But more than that -- and more important than that -- is how well Furious 7 gets to the real heart of the franchise, and that's in the heart of its characters. The big action is grounded in the tangible bond of family that exists amongst the core, and the movie is clear to acknowledge as much as its central strength in a key moment where a newcomer sizes up the group. Cast chemistry is off-the-charts strong and, more than anything else this film or the entire series has to offer, the way it translates to a family of characters makes for the single most defining element, the lifeblood, essentially, that elevates The Fast and the Furious from popcorn series to legitimate, lovable, and long-lasting franchise.

Big action and wild spectacle aside, Furious 7 will always be remembered as the final film to feature the late Paul Walker, who died, ironically and tragically, in an unrelated car accident during production. His death has been well-documented around the Internet and the effect it had on the film widely publicized, and yet despite the blow, Furious 7 manages to overcome and prove itself as one of the best in the franchise, if not the best, right up there with the first in every conceivable way. Director James Wan manages almost the impossible with the movie, carrying it to unparalleled heights even with the air of sadness that hangs over it. The movie shows enough brains, brawn, and heart -- all in the right proportions -- that audiences are likely to get caught up in the story, the thrills, and the central emotions as it builds through its narrative and impressive action until it takes the time to offer a beautiful send-off in the final minutes that, right down to the last shot, gets to the heart of both the franchise's sense of character togetherness and, more specifically, Walker's death. In some ways, it's a shame the franchise continues in 2017 considering it seemingly couldn't end any better than it does here, but if it, and any other future installments, are treated with the same level of respect this film shows for its family, it shouldn't be all bad.

Furious 7's success wasn't just a result of an outpouring of support for its fallen star. The movie is a total blast, easily one of the finest Action films of the past several years and a standout in what has become one hell of a good franchise that, even this deep into its existence, hasn't lost its edge. It's also more than the sum of its explosions and stunts. The film embodies the definition of a franchise family. It boasts a beautiful roster of closely knit characters that ride together towards a final, heartfelt goodbye that culminates in one of the most satisfying final scenes in recent memory. In short, it's one of the most complete mainstream movies of the year and one of the unquestionable must-see films of 2015. Universal's Blu-ray is terrific. Pristine video and audio are supported by a nice assortment of extra content. Very highly recommended.

[CSW] -3.3- By the time the seventh movie in a series is being made, the film makers had better know their purpose and the audience had better know what they're getting. "Furious 7" delivers what you'd expect from fast cars, partially dressed people, and stiff acting but it adds exceptionally outrageous stunts, supremely cheesy and long-winded dialogue, and a pair of in-film homages to the now deceased Paul Walker. Leave your thinking cap at home, grab your popcorn, and see it on the biggest screen you can.
[V5.0-A5.0] MPEG-4 AVC - D-Box 10/10.


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