Fast and Furious 7 and the Art of Going Big

Fast and Furious 7 certainly sets out its stall early. Within minutes you see ludicrous violence, stunning women and gorgeous cars going fast, and of course, furiously. The next two hours rarely divert from this holy trinity.

The main premise of the film is that after the events of Furious 6, Dominic Torretto (Vin Diesel) and his team of racing reprobates are now firmly in the crosshairs of Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), who wants revenge after the crew hospitalised his baby brother. Shaw goes after them one by one, leaving an outrageously high body count in his wake. To stop Shaw we see Torretto form an alliance with the excellently named Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), who promises his help if Dom et al can help him with a small task. From here we are whisked away to the Caucuses, Abu Dhabi and back to LA, where a Battle Royale erupts.

Although there are times when you feel a pang of déjà vu, it would be unfair to call this franchise formulaic. Sure, in the past it was all about the racing, but here there is only one legitimate street race, and that comes within the opening ten minutes. Instead you get a movie which is a mash up of genres; a crime caper of a heist movie with extended action sequences, romantic undertones and sporadic shots of comedy.

We are also treated to the franchise’s best villain, the hard-as-nails Shaw. Luke Evan’s Owen Shaw in Furious 6 was a definite step up, but the Stath unleashes unparalleled levels of badassery on the crew. More so I thoroughly enjoyed Kurt Russell as Mr. Nobody, the head of an ultra-shady governmental organisation.

However I felt like the lack of Dwayne Johnson as Agent Hobbs was criminal (I can only assume he was busy filming San Andreas for large swathes of the shoot, which, incidentally, promises to make Furious 7 look like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.) When we do get to see the Rock however, he gets the best lines (“Daddy’s gotta go to work” *puts gun in holster and smiles at daughter*) and his fair share of ridiculous stunts.

It’s with the stunts that the film will attract the most praise and derision. You will either believe that cars can fly, or snort at the physical impossibility of seeing a car jump between skyscrapers (just shut up and enjoy it if this is the case). It’s an imperfect film in many ways, but if you take it in the spirit in which it is intended you are rewarded with the epitome of a popcorn movie.

But here we also come to the paradox which is the Fast and Furious franchise. Seven films in and the critical reviews and box office receipts are getting more and more impressive. It’s hard to fathom any action movie getting to a seventh instalment and this being the case. For example, I don’t think ‘Die Hard 7; Crims in the Care Home’ or ‘Transformers 7; Hasn’t Optimus Died 5 Times Already’ would have the same affect.  

  

Of course, I’m being facetious and glib here – Wow that sounded like my essay feedback from Uni– but I think that Fast and Furious has become the master of going big. There are a lot of plaudits to be given to a film that is acutely aware of how silly it is; one which will do ridiculous stunts but always has its tongue firmly planted in its cheek.

Recently we saw that in F&F alumni Dwayne Johnson’s take on Hercules, which, besides having another set of cracking bits of dialogue (“F*cking centaurs” being a favourite), knew that it was far-fetched, but reveled in that tag. Marvel movies are fantastic at doing this as well, knowing how to toe the line between escapism and bombast.

By being so endearingly out there and by pushing itself to be bigger and more spectacular, the Furious franchise has indeed made itself better. The core cast which has been around for most of the films has had room to grow and bounce really well off each other. The dynamic between Tej (the brilliant Ludacris) and Roman (the hilarious Tyrese Gibson) was a particular favourite of mine.

Following the tragedy of Paul Walker’s death, Furious 7 also has an emotional root to its superficial merits. However it also leaves the franchise is in something of a quandary. On paper it is a no-brainer to shoot another movie, as this is set to make $1bn at the box office, there is the nucleus of a great cast and lots of different stories to go into.

However this also feels like a natural end to the movies. Talks have already begun on ideas for a new film, which will undoubtedly make the studio a heap of money. But it will be hard for the franchise to progress to bigger and better things as Furious 7 definitely feels like the end of a chapter, maybe even of a book.

Throughout I had the nagging feeling that the poignancy that is eked out of the Letty-Torretto relationship at times feels a little forced, yet this was the one really emotional angle that the script itself had. This is naturally because it is always overshadowed by an event that happened outside of the studio. Indeed the genuine sadness and poignancy comes from a character that ends the film in seemingly the happiest situation; Brian O’Conner, played by the late Paul Walker.

The inherent sadness that you feel when Walker enters the screen casts a shadow over the whole film. Yet I can only applaud the filmmakers in their treatment of such an evocative issue. For all that the family-fuelled guff that Vin Diesel has been peddling throughout the franchise can fall on deaf ears; here it resonates more than ever.

Without wanting to give the ending away, it is dealt with a soft touch and a shot through a candid, emotive hue. It is genuinely heartfelt and, to my mind, beautifully executed. Torretto’s’ last lines evoke feelings which strike a chord with anyone who has lost loved ones. Indeed Diesel looks truly drained and mournful in that final scene. Coupling his words with O’Conner’s original Toyota, the beautiful scenery and a top draw closing credits song is a genuinely emotional sucker-punch which drags the viewer from the escapism of the last two hours back into the real world. 

There was always the feeling that the Furious franchise was created by a genuine family. By keeping a similar cast and production crew together for 7 films the franchise has created an endemic sense of loyalty and affection. This is perhaps the key theme in this film in particular. Yes there is spectacle a-plenty, there are ridiculous stunts and glib, comical remarks. However there is also a deeply candid heart pulsating through the film’s chest.

Paul Walker will be missed. He was a brother to his cast mates, a husband and a father. Yet he was also a friend to millions who have watched any of the seven films. 

So finally I would like to say thank you Paul - here's hoping your next journey is as wonderfully varied, adrenaline fuelled and loved as the last.