Furious 7 - B

Rated PG-13, 142 minutes
Wes's Grade: B

With its usual, outrageous stunts "Furious 7" is a solid yet bittersweet ride

Many thought the tragic death of actor Paul Walker would put a halt to the immensely popular "Fast and Furious" film franchise but after seeing the action-packed seventh installment, simply titled "Furious 7," you wouldn't know it. Featuring its trademark, over-the-top stunts and car chases, it's hardly anything new and while it's not the best entry in the series, it also won't disappoint its large base who are used to this type of cheesy excitement. After defeating Owen Shaw, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Walker) and the rest of the crew return to their normal lives again as they had wanted. However, Owen's older brother, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham, scowling), is after Dom and his crew, seeking revenge for his brother's death and putting the entire crew in danger once more. After learning of Han's death, the crew sets out to find the man who killed one of their own, before he finds them first. Directed by acclaimed horror film director James Wan (of another popular movie franchise, "Saw") and written by Chris Morgan, writer of the last few of the "Fast and Furious" films, "Furious 7" is an energetic, fun movie filled with some typical, outrageous stunts and preposterous set pieces that has made these films so popular, not to mention a bittersweet, much-talked about coda to Walker. Wan handles the action nicely, in what boils down to three main action set pieces: one in the mountains, one in Abu Dhabi and the final one in Los Angeles; unsurprisingly, everything in between is typically cheesy (including its ridiculous plotting), even for these films, and some of the gaps in filming after Walker's death seem to give it an uneven flow; on a slightly disappointing note, most of the later scenes, particularly the final one, show that stand-ins, including Walker's brothers, along with a minor dose of CGI, were used. As well, the film's mid-section in particular is problematic, with the whole Abu Dhabi section overlong and unnecessary yet still peppered with some breathtaking stunts. The mountain piece was my favorite of the three, but the final act does have a terrific fight between Diesel and Statham that is among "Furious 7's" more memorable parts. Speaking of which, for the first time, you'll likely need some tissues for a "Fast and Furious" film, as the fitting tribute to Walker, including some clips from other "F&F" films, is also a very emotional one, yet one that also allows this franchise to continue on without him. "Furious 7" isn't the best car on the "Fast and Furious" franchise lot, but it's still a decent ride, though it won't be the same without Walker.