Film & TV

Film Review: Fast and Furious 7

Fast and Furious 7 is pure escapist blockbuster entertainment. Read our review of it here.

F&F7A Fast and Furious film doesn’t need to be analysed as the series has never been one for deep and meaningful drama. In place of depth has been high-octane action. These have been amazingly rendered with sweaty machismo the order of the day. This formula has served it well with Fast and Furious 7 continuing the same trajectory. There isn’t anything particularly new with this instalment although fans will be delighted as it serves yet another slice of ridiculous hokum.

Dominic (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker) and their friends are glad the tough times have passed. Looking forward to more peaceful futures, their idyll is quickly shattered. Blaming them for his brother’s death during a previous skirmish Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) vows vengeance. After Deckard kills one of his comrades, Dominic and his motley crew seek to eradicate this new menace threatening their endlessly fast-paced existence.

Fast and Furious 7’s greatest feat is maintaining energy. Every scene briskly zips along with plotting and action delivered in equal measures. The franchise has never been renowned for the acting although the regular cast convey genuine enthusiasm. Knowing their characters so well, they delight in placing them in ever more ludicrous situations. They fully indulge in the gravity-defying stunts and CGI which are part of the fun of this exciting series.

Just as disposable as its predecessors, Fast and Furious 7 goes full throttle with the story’s opportunities. Director James Wan displays an excellent flair for comic-book style escapades even if the run-time could have been shortened. The absolute excess of the action scenes becomes occasionally exhausting although you can’t help but admire the imaginative craftsmanship. They successfully compliment a script weaving threads from previous entries capturing what has made these films so popular.

Fast and Furious 7 is pure escapist blockbuster entertainment. None of it can be taken seriously with the ‘leave your brain at the door’ quote definitely befitting this latest entry in the never-ending franchise.

Reviewed by Patrick Moore
Twitter: @patrickmoore14

Rating out of 10: 7

 

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