Thumbnail: Furious 7 likely won't be "one last ride," but it brings the current incarnation to a graceful end.
Box Office:
I can’t imagine any of you reading this aren't at least somewhat familiar with the franchise, so I'll keep this brief. There is no official budget per-se, but guestimates put the original budget at $200 million (up from the $160m Furious 6 which was up from the $120m Fast Five) before series star Paul Walker died in an auto accident on November 30th, 2013. The filmmakers pressed ahead, pushing the film back nine months and using a variety of techniques (CGI, body doubles, help from Walker’s own brothers as stand-ins, etc.) to keep the star explicitly involved in what would be his final film, at the cost of around $50 million in additional spending. Universal/Comcast Corp. has done a remarkable job marketing this film under the circumstances.
I gave them no small amount of grief in 2013 for basically spilling all of the key Furious 6 action pay-offs in the marketing materials. You can’t argue with a $788m worldwide cume, but a little restraint likely would have yielded the same result. And just a little restraint is what we got this time around. The trailers and TV spots, as of this writing, are heavily centered on the first two acts of the film, while keeping plenty of nitty-gritty details under wraps. The best compliment I can pay them is that when the film’s second act ended, I realized that I had almost no idea what was going to happen for the next 45 minutes.
That isn't to say that Universal didn't drown the film in marketing, as they did a terrifying red carpet premiere for the first teaser trailer back in December while dropping a Super Bowl spot, a needless second trailer, and a “first look” that centered on a major first act action beat. But again, save for a few “must reveal” images, I was able to walk into my screening relatively surprised at the moment-to-moment beats and the character interaction. They still have a week to screw it up, but so far, so good on that note. Also of note, Universal hasn't blinked in terms of selling the film exactly as they otherwise would have sold it had Walker been around to promote it. That’s not nothing.
As far as the film’s reception, the $788m worldwide cume of Furious 6 is a tough bar to climb, although the sixth film didn't really have any added-value elements aside from being the sequel to the much-loved (and $623m-grossing) Fast Five. This time you've got Jason Statham, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey, and Kurt Russell among others. The projected $115m debut weekend (besting Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s $95m April record debut) seems reasonable at this point. I wouldn't be surprised to see something even bigger but nor should that be the bar for success. But yeah, this is going to be a massive hit for all parties.
The Review:
There is something oddly reaffirming about the ongoing success of the Fast and the Furious franchise. First of all, it is the biggest ongoing franchise around in terms of real-world action and practical stunts and fight scenes. In an age where it feels (perhaps incorrectly) that the blockbuster realm has been overtaken by fantastical voyages and magical journeys, the Fast/Furious franchise is rooted in what amounts to “realistic” action and real-world stakes. Secondly, the appeal of the franchise’s action set pieces is arguably secondary to the fans’ devotion to the ongoing soap opera of Toretto, Brian, Letty, and the rest. For a franchise that is technically about tough dudes and their big cars, the franchise has evolved into the most unapologetically sentimental movie series around. Flash back to 2001, and I couldn't imagine that Fast and the Furious would spawn one of the most complicated mythologies this side of Saw and the most character-driven franchises this side of Harry Potter.
For those in the know, this film takes place after Furious 6 and also brings to the continuity up to the end of Tokyo Drift (part 3, but technically a prequel to Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Furious 6… and now even John Kramer is confused). Letty is back with the family, although still suffering from amnesia (a dumb narrative choice in the last film which now robs her scenes with Vin Diesel of mutual intimacy). The four main players have used their pardon to return back to their childhood home in LA, with Brian (Paul Walker) struggling to adjust to domestic life as a father. But danger appears right at their doorstep as the older brother (Jason Statham) of the last film’s villain (Luke Evans) swears revenge and starts to hunt down our heroes. As Toretto and the reunited crew attempt to save themselves, a shady government operative (Kurt Russell) offers a deal: If Toretto and his “family” will help him rescue a kidnapped hacker and retrieve a McGuffin, Kurt Russell's Petty will deliver the evil Mr. Shaw for the killing.
The actual plot is just an excuse to stage a series of ever-crazier chase scenes, smack downs, and stunt sequences, and in that case mission accomplished. James Wan proves a more-than-able substitute for Justin Lin, and the action is truly wonderful. The bad news is that the side-plot (Dom and company must get the gadget to get Shaw) turns Jason Statham into less of the prime villain and more of a Winter Soldier/Darth Maul-like annoyance who pops up to cause chaos just when the good guys think they are winning. The good news is that the overly complicated plot gives the film a much better structure and pacing than Furious 6, which unsuccessfully attempted without success to ape the point-by-point narrative of Fast Five. The first ninety minutes of this film race by like a rocket-powered 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R (Yes, I pulled that reference from memory Google!), and if anything the final act suffers from too much repetitive action.
The finale, which I won't reveal, involves a George Lucas-style montage of cross-cutting action sequences, which keeps us interested and gives every major character “something to do.” But it pales in comparison a first act chase in-and-around a forest (which contains a wealth of “never seen that before” moments) and the much-publicized heist sequence set in Abu Dhabi that makes up much of the second act. Still, in terms of quality action, this is an embarrassment of riches. But what makes the Fast and Furious franchise special isn't just the action, but rather the chemistry among the core cast members. Sadly what was once a sprawling ensemble has wilted down. Those who get a chance to shine do so, but the emphasis is placed on a few at the expense of the many.
Gal Gadot and Sung Kang are dead, and most of the new faces (Statham, Tony Jaa, Djimon Hounsou, Ronda Rousey) are villainous one-note punching bags. I have a longtime online friend/long time reader who is about to be heartbroken when I reveal, right now in this sentence, that Tony Jaa does not have a fight scene with Jason Statham. Actually, Jaa gets his fight scenes against Paul Walker and, all due respect, it’s the least plausible match-up since Mel Gibson and Danny Glover defeated an in-his-prime Jet Li in Lethal Weapon 4 (and they had to cheat). This makes the random cameo, and nothing more, for Lucas Black (of Tokyo Drift) all the more confusing, because they could have used another “franchise star” to bolster the ranks. They could have used Eva Mendes from 2 Fast 2 Furious as well, but then she’s a lady.
Jordana Brewster and Elsa Pataky are mostly ignored, and their exclusion only highlights that what once was a rather gender-balanced ensemble has now become a more conventional “two women with a bunch of men” cast. The new female heroine, Nathalie Emmanuel, is technically a master hacker, but she is also ogled both by Tyrese Gibson and the camera to an embarrassing degree. The amount of random “Look at the butts and boobs!” insert shorts, always a minor annoyance in this series, reaches such as a volume as to make Michael Bay look like Chris Nolan. But I digress. The end result is, absent the dearly departed, the sidelined ladies, and the "barely a glorified cameo" Dwayne Johnson, what was once a giant cast now comes down to Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez (who again can only fight other women), Ludacris, and Tyrese Gibson. They are fine and they can do these parts in their sleep, but the ensemble feeling often gives way to the "Toretto and Friends Family" show.
But all of that is nitpicking from someone who keeps expecting these films to hit the inexplicable high of Fast Five, which not only out-Avenger-ed The Avengers but was one of the best all-around American action movies of the last couple decades. If Fast Five was an Empire Strikes Back-level fluke, Furious 7 wants to be Return of the Jedi. But even Fast Five, where I honestly thought Vin Diesel was going to die in the end before realizing that the film took place before Tokyo Drift thus making that impossible, works better as a would-be series finale. This time it feels more like Iron Man 3 or The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn part II, with a stand-alone story that has would-be closure tacked on at the end.
Maybe it’s that our core heroes basically got what they wanted and needed at the end of Fast Five (financial security and a home to call for their own outside of the grasp of the law), so everything since then has merely been outside forces interrupting their would-be happiness. But nitpicking aside, the film is splendid "turn your brain off" action entertainment. Jason Statham’s first two scenes, including a Statham/Rock fight, are terrific even as I question the logic of murdering the crap out of the hospital that’s treating your comatose brother (even the Joker only blew up that hospital after getting Harvey Dent out of harm's way). Kurt Russell is having fun and (slight spoiler) his last scene ends up invoking Ride the High Country in an unexpected fashion. The action scenes are worth the price of IMAX. Heck, I may spring for this one again to sample my local D-Box cinema.
And, as much as I didn't want to spend the whole review talking about Paul Walker, the various tricks that were used to keep the late actor front-and-center in this film are incredibly successful. Sure if I cared I could tell you that I spotted a body double here or some CGI there, but what’s the point? James Wan and company were in unprecedented territory and the end result is such that, had you not known about Walker’s death, you probably wouldn't notice anything amiss. VAGUE SPOILER… The film does offer something of a farewell for the actor, and if I carp that it’s an out-of-context moment that threatens to break the fourth wall, I will also admit that it’s a necessary evil that is exactly in line with the bleeding heart sentimentality that has made this series so surprisingly engaging over the last three entries. … VAGUE SPOILER END
I have no idea what will become of the Fast & Furious franchise after this one, but I imagine financial considerations will demand that it continue. I’d like to hope that Jordana Brewster will get a bigger role in the ensemble, along with real roles for Mendes and Black in order to keep the “franchise all-stars to the rescue” theme in play. But James Wan has earned his action stripes, and don't be surprised if he ends up recruited for a DC Comics film (Shazam, co-starring The Rock as Black Adam?). I can say that Wan’s car chase skills have improved significantly since the first Saw (the extra $249m didn't hurt either). Anyway, those who have followed the series down its convoluted and often emotionally-charged road will get most of what they want this time out. For those who just came to play, Furious 7 will work like gangbusters, and it’s going to be a monster hit for Universal. Furious 7 isn't so much goodbye as the end of something. It’s been a heck of a ride and a truly incredible journey.
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