Fast And Furious 7
Director: James Wan
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham
137 mins; Class 12;
KRS Film Releasing

One thing can be said about those darn Fast and Furious films (F&F for ease of reference)… they seem to be growing on me.

Ever since I began my reviewing stint a few years ago, I awarded two stars to F&F5, three to F&F6 and here is the seventh, with a solid four stars from me.

With, at time of writing, $400 million in its coffers since its worldwide opening on April 3, the film is smashing box office records with the same ease it smashes vehicles and there is no doubt that the eighth instalment will soon be upon us. Could that be the one to earn five stars?

The film unabashedly continues to deliver ridiculous plotlines featuring cartoonish baddies, fuelled by myriad high-octane sequences that get more outrageous by the film; an ensemble of characters who have truly grown into a family; unforced and genuine humour throughout; and an unfettered, giddy enjoyment of the proceedings, which infects the audience.

Ridiculous plotlines fuelled by high-octane sequences

There is a sliver of a plot in there somewhere. Former black ops assassin Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is out to avenge his brother Owen, whom the gang targeted last time round.

A mysterious government operative (Kurt Russell) offers the gang help to track Shaw down – if they in turn help secure a high-tech tracking device which could cause world chaos if it falls into the wrong hands.

It’s a storyline that makes casual appearances in between the various heart-in-mouth vehicular stunts that pepper the movie… and this is truly what the movie is about.

It is clear that the film-makers were determined to outstunt anything we have seen in the films before.

There are sequences involving cars driving out of flying planes, cars jumping from one building through another (then another) and oodles of fiery gunplay as cars attack buses and helicopters attack cars.

The main players behind the wheels are back. Diesel’s tough-talking crew-leader Torretto; the late Paul Walker’s Bryan trying to settle into his family life with Mia (Jordana Brewster) and their young son; Michelle Rodriguez’s no-nonsense Letty; the ever-bickering Tej (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges); Roman (Tyrese Gibson); and the hard-as-nails Hobbs. The role of the evil, taciturn Shaw suits Statham to a tee.

The characters are truly familiar by now and despite its preoccupation with the action, the script by Chris Morgan lends quite a bit of emotional depth, especially between Dom and Letty as they try to rekindle their relationship.

More genuine emotion certainly sneaks in every time Walker is on screen (and kudos to the marvels of technology that allowed the film to be completed after his death.

A tragedy brought to mind when he, ironically, continuously cheats death throughout the film.

The end result has proven to truly be a fitting and moving tribute to him as his co-stars so clearly wanted.