Nordling here.
The day after I saw FURIOUS 7, some friends who weren't movie geeks asked me what I thought of it. This is probably common for movie geeks – they’re the arbiter of taste and culture in their group (or at least they think they are) and, especially when a movie gets a lot of attention from regular folks, the group wants to know that geek's opinion. But oddly enough, I found it difficult to talk about, not without my voice cracking a little bit. This surprised me. The FAST AND FURIOUS series has always been a little bit dumb, but the endearing aspect of that is that the filmmakers know this. The films never pretend to be anything that they’re not. They are sentimental nearly to a fault, and even when they've gotten bigger in scope, the movies always remind the audience where they came from. They are proud of it. It’s been a pleasure watching these movies evolve over the years, and I’ve always been a fan.
So I was surprised when I found myself profoundly moved in the final ten minutes of FURIOUS 7, as the franchise says goodbye to Paul Walker. His tragic death haunts the movie – to the point, sometimes, that it becomes a distraction – and I was worried how the filmmakers would deal with the tragedy. James Wan and Chris Morgan, along with the cast, handle it with remarkable grace and dignity, and all the emotion that the series has committed to so far – all of Dom Torretto’s (Vin Diesel) talk of family, love, and kinship – comes together in a truly powerful moment that I imagine will feel like a punch to the heart to every fan of the series. It’s meaningful and beautiful in a way that I didn’t expect, and FURIOUS 7, while not the best of the franchise (that would be FAST FIVE, for the curious), becomes the most cathartic movie in the series. Whatever stories they tell in this gravity-optional, goofy street-cred world from this point forward, the FAST/FURIOUS films have earned a place of respectability in the action movie pantheon.
And what glorious action it is. James Wan has a different perspective than Justin Lin does, and while the action has gotten bigger and more bombastic, Wan directs it with style. An airdrop sequence in the Caucasus Mountains is genuinely thrilling, and frankly, it’s the best action setpiece of the movie. It intercuts between characters, and builds tension remarkably well. Isaac Newton would probably have something or a thousand things to say about it, but Wan, with cinematographers Mark Spicer and Stephen Windon, stunt coordinators, CGI artists, and the actors, crafts one of the most memorable sequences of the franchise. The one-on-one fights are great too (although none are on par with the Johnson/Diesel pummeling of FAST FIVE), especially seeing Jason Statham take on Dwayne Johnson. There’s a fun, “how did they do that” vibe to the Tony Jaa/Paul Walker fights, and there’s a really great sequence down a stairwell that is orchestrated perfectly.
As far as villains go, Statham is probably the best of the series so far, although he doesn’t have a terrific amount of dialogue. He’s formidable and skillful, and knows just when to show up to be a proper thorn in Torretto’s and his crew’s side. Djimon Hounsou also shares the villainy screentime, as a mercenary chasing an elusive new piece of tech that sets the plot in motion. Kurt Russell is having the most fun he’s had in years, and I hope his “Mr. Nobody” becomes a staple of the franchise, sending Dom and his team across the planet, doing what they do best. Unfortunately, Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays the mysterious hacker Ramsey, isn’t given much to do, and the story only recognizes her when it’s convenient.
But the spirit and soul of the movie belongs to both Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, and FURIOUS 7 is at its best when it deals with them. Yes, the real tragedy shapes the emotional backbone of their screen time together, but to be fair, the FURIOUS films have always worn their hearts on their sleeves. FURIOUS 7 feels like an emotional culmination of everything that has happened before, and when that ending comes, those tears feel earned, and not simply a manipulation of real life events. Fans of these films have always appreciated that aspect of the movie. It’s corny, it’s puppy-dog, but it also feels true. FURIOUS 7 believes in all those emotions – in family, in loyalty, and “ride or die.” When I watch the TRANSFORMERS movies, for example, all the sentiment and emotion feels alien and false. Not so with FURIOUS 7. And to me, that’s the key to the success of this series – it’s bombastic, but in a strange way, it’s also honest.
So as we say goodbye to Paul Walker and as one chapter of this franchise ends, I hope the emotion, the sentimentality, and the honesty continues. I hope the FURIOUS films continue to treat gravity and physics as the longest running joke. I hope Helen Mirren jumps into the franchise (after this film, it should be obvious who she should play). Hell, what’s to stop more esteemed actors to jump in and play? I’m all for it. Bring them all on. There’s room for everyone.
Vin Diesel recently said that he thought FURIOUS 7 would win Best Picture. I’ll say this for FURIOUS 7 – it’s way better than BIRDMAN.
Nordling, out.
