I haven't watched The Fast and The Furious series from the beginning; when the first movie came out I was too busy seeing The Fellowship of the Ring to notice anything else. But I started paying attention when Fast & Furious came out. I'm not sure if I started watching the movies then or if it took a little longer. I know the first one I saw in theaters was Fast & Furious 6. I have come to love the series. It's not just about the cars; it's really about the characters. As my sister likes to say, "Character development!". And really, watching the characters grow and change is part of what I like about the movies. And like any fan, I was heartbroken when I heard that Paul Walker had passed. For me and so many other people, seeing Furious Seven was a very emotional yet rewarding experience.
I'm not even sure where to start. I loved the movie, let me say that. I really did like it. I thought they did an incredible job. Oh, and before I really get going, I'm not holding back so there are SPOILERS ahead. You've been warned.
Brief summary is as good a place as any to start. The movie begins with Letty and Dom going to Race Wars. Letty still doesn't have her memory back and she's really struggling. She tells Dom she needs to find herself. Brian is now driving his son to daycare/school in a minivan, and he's struggling with domestic life. Mia is pregnant again but doesn't want to disappoint Brian so hasn't told him. And then the house blows up. They have a funeral for Han (which is the first place I almost cried) and they all realize that they are being hunted by Shaw's big brother. The group gets recruited by a secret government agent, who needs them to recover a device that lets you find anyone anywhere in the world by using all the technology around. They are told they will be allowed to use it to stop Brother Shaw. They rescue the creator of the device, a woman named Ramsey. And then they head to Abu Dhabi to find the device. Obviously things don't go according to plan right away. Lots of things go wrong, Mia tells Brian she's pregnant, they defeat the bad guys, and then Dom almost dies. Throughout the movie Letty has been having flashbacks and slowly starting to regain her memory. When they're all huddled around Dom, afraid he's dead, she tells him she remembers everything. Including their wedding in the Dominican Republic and that they used the cross necklace Dom wears as their rings. So Dom doesn't die and everyone lives. The end.
Right, that's a short summary, leaving out a few details that I'm going to get to shortly. First, I loved the location shooting. They were in LA again, and in Abu Dhabi. One of the coolest scenes was them driving through the desert. I loved the bright colors against the sand, which was clearly the point.
And of course, I can't get far without mentioning the stunts. Yes, cars were dropped out of a plane. Yes, a car flew through 2 buildings. And it was really awesome and impressive. Let's be honest, half of the reason you see these movies is to see what crazy stunt they're going to pull next.
As for the characters, I loved them all, as always. And I've decided I want to be Letty when I grow up. She rocks, simple as that. She's brave, loyal, strong, stands by what she believes and who she loves, knows her cars and how to drive them, and looks great in a dress. She may be a damsel but she is never in need of rescuing as she can fight for herself. Plus, I think she's a good role model. She's the only woman who has been part of Dom's crew throughout the whole series. She's "one of the guys" but at the same time she isn't. And she is able to show off her femininity without wearing almost no clothing. Letty is definitely one of my favorite characters in the series and I hope to be half as cool as she is one day.
Now for the elephant in the room. Paul Walker's death could not have been handled in a more graceful and touching manner. Family has always been a major focus of the series, and now that Brian and Mia have two kids it's become even more important for them. In the end, Brian realizes that his place is with his wife and kids, and that he can't continue pulling heists or rescuing damsels. The last scene takes place on a beach, where the group has gathered. Mia calls Brian over to play near the water with their son. As he joins them, Dom gets up to leave, letting Brian go. Dom drives off and is stopped at a light when Brian pulls up. They drive together for a stretch and then go in separate directions, with Brian driving off into the sunset.
What really killed me about the scene was the song in the background, Dom's monologue, and the cars. The song playing is "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa, written as a tribute to Paul. It's a beautiful song but very heartbreaking in context. The cars Dom and Brian are driving are basically the same cars from the end of the original movie, just updated versions. Not to mention that the Supra was Paul's personal car, used to create more feelings of sadness.
And lastly, there is Dom's monologue about Brian, and by extension about Paul.
"I used to say I live my life a quarter mile at a time and I think that's why we were brothers - because you did too. No matter where you are, whether it's a quarter mile away or halfway across the world, the most important thing in life will always be the people in this room, right here, right now. Salute mi familia. You'll always be with me. And you'll always be my brother."
I will gladly admit that I cried about the moment "See You Again" started playing. It was a difficult ending to watch because it was a last reminder that this is the end for Brian. Even if they make more movies, Paul Walker will not be in them. And that's a hard concept to fully grasp. Personally, I think the movie was the perfect ending for the series as a whole. It's been a wonderful series over many years, and I think they ended Furious Seven in such a way that it could stand as an end to the series. However, it's such a popular franchise and so successful that I'm sure they'll try to continue it without one of the founding members.
Was the movie a little over the top? Yes, always. Was it extra emotional in light of Paul Walker? Absolutely. Was it still a very well done and enjoyable movie? Without a doubt. And if nothing else, it was a way for us to finally say goodbye to Paul.
"How could we not talk about family when family's all that we got?
Everything I went through you were standing there by my side.
And now you gonna be with me for the last ride.
So let the light guide your way.
Hold every memory as you go.
And every road you take will always lead you home.
It's been a long day without you, my friend.
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.
We've come a long way from where we began.
Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."
