To Catch a Critic:

Photo Courtesy of independent.co.uk

            The cast and crew of the internationally acclaimed film franchise Fast and Furious had quite a job on their hands for the seventh installment of the series. Not only did they have to try and top the last two instant-hits, Fast Five and Fast Six, which made $145 million and $158 million internationally on their respective opening weekends, but they had to scramble to make the film without the franchise star, Paul Walker. Walker tragically passed away in a horrific Porche accident during filming for Furious 7 in November 2013, leaving the cast, crew, and world stunned. After the initial heartbreak and shock, filmmakers were left with the problem of a promised installment and no Walker to star in it. Fortunately, with the help of Walker’s brother, stuntman Cody Walker, and a little CGI magic, fans had the opportunity to see Paul Walker take the silver screen one last, heartbreaking time.

            Furious 7 was directed by James Wan and boasted an abundance of big-name actors like Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham. Despite the loss of Paul Walker and the scramble to rework the script, the film brought in a modest $143 million for its Easter weekend debut.

            Although the Fast and Furious series isn’t exactly famous for its realism, Furious 7 raised the bar to a whole new level with its barely plausible plot and completely impossible stunts. Viewers saw Vin Diesel and the crew drive cars out of planes, through buildings, and survive injuries that would have shattered mere mortals. Still, one does not go see a Fast and Furious movie to watch Diesel and “The Rock” drive leisurely in Sunday morning traffic, so fans were more than willing to put their disbelief on hold and enjoy a good-old-fashioned action thriller, complete with fierce cars, scantily clad ladies, and enough explosions to make any pyromaniac purr.

            The plot was fairly predictable, following the safe formula for an action flick. There were no real surprises or double-crosses like in the previous films, and the quality of dialogue was nowhere near up to par with the older films. Cheesy one-liners were reminiscent of the first movies in the franchise and felt forced and overdone. Despite these minor flaws, it was still an engaging movie that was worth the time and money to watch, and considering the hoops they had to jump through and the heartache they had to work through, the cast and crew did an excellent job.

            Furious 7 did not stack up to its predecessors in its initial plot and execution, but one defining factor will undoubtedly skyrocket the film straight into cinematic history as one of the greats: the final scene, an incredibly touching, heart wrenching tribute and farewell to Paul Walker. The scene starts innocently enough, with Walker and his on-screen family playing sweetly on a beach while the rest of the crew looks on fondly. Diesel and the crew began to talk fondly about their friend, it quickly becoming apparent that they weren’t talking about Walker’s character, but the late actor himself. It then fades to a touching monologue by Diesel, by this point plainly a farewell to the man he called his brother as Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” plays in the background. At the conclusion of the tribute, the words “For Paul” are displayed onscreen, two small words commemorating the life and last ride of Paul Walker.