By NATALIE SACKET & CHRIS PUNTO
Columnists
Well this week we are closing the chapter on a movie franchise that spanned throughout most of our entire childhoods:
“Furious 7” (2015)
Chris’ Review-
4 cars out of 5
So I’m gonna try to get through this without talking about Paul Walker until the end. Here we go.
“Furious 7” seems to be the last movie of the epic franchise that a lot of kids grew up with. The question is: did it measure up? My answer is no.
Let me explain. I love this franchise, but sadly this movie did not feel like a F&F film. The plot was a little far fetched, even for one of those movies. I can actually picture someone robbing a Brazilian drug cartel for a million. I can’t imagine a secret government organization recruiting the help of former convicts so that they can cut a deal. Doesn’t seem like a Vin Diesel move.
Speaking of our bold hero, did anyone notice that he only spoke in clichés? Like I know it happens a lot in all the other films but this was just a bit overkill. And another brawny hero, AKA Dwayne Johnson, only spoke in cliches and sexist catchphrases. Way to go guys.
So if I’ve been bashing it, why did I give it four stars? Because of the chemistry. When Dom says that he only has family, that’s not just a line. The cast of this movie has grown extremely close over the last several years, and all respect each other’s as actors and as people. They compliment each other so well in this movie that you’ll rarely see that kind of flow in any other movie. Despite the bad script, these characters seem real.
Okay. So now let’s talk about Paul. Before anyone goes off on me about how I shouldn’t put such value into the lives of a Hollywood actor, I don’t. People die every day. I’m a big boy. I get it. What I put value in is the relationships that are lost, or at least put on pause depending on your beliefs, by a death. The one that was most tragic was the relationship lost between Diesel and Walker. Without getting too far into it, they were brothers. Both of them saw each other as such and it’s sad to see one’s reaction to losing his sibling. If you don’t like the movie after the last five minutes, I consider you a soulless creature, and I’m keeping an eye on you. Monster.
Bottom line. Watch this movie if you’ve grown up with the films. If you decide to watch this movie without watching the other 6, you’ll be lost and you’re probably going to be the dumbest person in the theater, which is probably hard to do anyways.
Natalie’s Review-
3.5 cars out of 5
I am probably the last person who should review this film, as I’ve seen zero of the first six Fast and Furious movies. However, a friend explained the rest of the series to me as “cars, explosions, more cars, more explosions, and more cars,” so I’m basically caught up. This comes as a surprise to me, as I’ve always resisted watching the series, but I thoroughly enjoyed “Furious 7.”
I will admit, I was completely lost as to who was who or what was going on. I would recommend actually watching the first six films before heading to theatres. This is only 704 minutes out of your life. (Yes, I added it up.)
It had the stereotypical car chases and action, but this film had heart as well. As expected, this film was somewhat of a tribute to the late Paul Walker. It was a surprisingly touching film in that aspect. I felt as though it was a fitting farewell to this beloved member of the franchise. That being said, as I have very little connection to the series or the character, I was disturbingly dry-eyed in a theatre of blubbering fans. (Yes, Chris is a very ugly crier.)
Bottom Line: If you’re a fan, I’m sure you’ve already seen it or have made plans to. If you’re not a fan, watch this film; it might change your mind. Now I’m going to go free up the next 704 minutes of my life.