Writer: Casey Chong

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Watch this if you liked: All the previous six “Fast And Furious” movies.

The Good, the Bad and the Furious:

The tragic death of Paul Walker, who was killed in a car crash on November 30, 2013, had certainly shocked the Hollywood industry as well as the die-hard fans around the world. Although Paul Walker wasn't finished shooting his entire scene for "Fast And Furious 7", kudos to the studio's (Universal Pictures) smart decision to rewrite some of his scenes to give his Brian O'Conner character a proper send-off. Instead of ditching the whole movie altogether, they utilised Paul's two younger brothers (Caleb and Cody) as stand-ins, with a mix of CGI, stunt doubles and unused footage of Paul Walker from previous movies. The result is well executed onscreen marvel. As for the movie, James Wan's first foray into big budget action blockbuster after spending more than a decade directing horror genres seems to mimic Michael Bay's bigger-and-louder style of filmmaking. Like Bay, he favours jittery camerawork and frenetic editing with too many close-ups, especially during the action sequences.

On top of that, Wan certainly fulfils the meaning of the title as the action is fast and furious (literally, that is) until there are times it's hard to distinguish the scenes properly. But still, Wan deserves a praises for staging some of the most spectacular stunts ever seen in the "Fast And Furious" franchise, including a jaw-dropping moment where Dom (Vin Diesel) drives the red Lykan Hypersport through the window of an Abu Dhabi skyscraper and sails mid-air before crashing into another skyscraper. The plot, in the meantime, is frankly nothing to shout about here. The returning cast is as entertaining as always, while the new additions (including Jason Statham, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and especially Kurt Russell) are equally competent. Although "Fast And Furious 7" doesn't exactly surpass Justin Lin's better-than-average efforts in the last two movies (Part 5 and 6), this seventh entry remains a mindlessly entertaining ride, especially for fans who would want to watch Paul Walker one last time for the emotional tribute at the end.

Look Out For:

The death-defying "car jump" from the plane!

Trivia:

Prior to the casting of Kurt Russell in a small role in "Fast And Furious 7", director James Wan was originally seeking for Denzel Washington but he turned the role down.

Best Watched With:

Action fans who love fast cars, furious action and are in it to remember Paul Walker.


Cinema Online, 31 March 2015