The FAST AND FURIOUS films are a guilty pleasure of mine, so when SXSW announced that there would be a secret screening of FURIOUS 7 last night I had to attend! Explosions, car races, and a stirring tribute to Paul Walker at a highly regarded film festival! How could I say no?
You can’t talk about this franchise without mentioning that Justin Lin pulled these films out of the movie purgatory and stamped them in the books as the best action films of the last few years. James Wan was in the driver’s seat this time around, but lead with Lin’s formula of success: over the top action is what makes these films and Wan didn’t hold back. Last night’s screening was as filled with the same level fan boy adrenaline as last year’s RAID 2, and lived up to that level of hype.
The movie is a mess, but that doesn’t matter. It only has to be fun, and it’s over-flowing with that element. Aside from FURY ROAD, FURIOUS 7 could be the most action-packed film of the summer. The explosions are real, the crashes are in camera, and it’s full of amazing one liners from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson!
While the build up from the last film was that Jason Statham would be joining the cast, it’s Johnson that steals the show. With only about a half an hour of screen time, he creates the film’s most brilliantly ridiculous moments. Johnson is proving that he can do anything and probably deserves to be considered for every role out there. Yes, even period pieces.
FURIOUS 7 serves as two things, an over the top cap to a ridiculous series, and the loving memorial to Paul Walker. As the montage of his moments is this universe rolled there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. If you’re still looking for a reason to see this film, let it be the heart felt goodbye to the lovable Paul Walker.
By Ryan Davis
lostinreviewsblog.wordpress.com 
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