Furious 7 Review

The James Wan-directed Furious 7 is all that you can ask for in an action flick that’s hyped up on heavy doses of loud engines, stunning scenery and  explosions – and then some. The seventh installment of what’s become the most popular (non-superhero) action series this century is easily the best one yet. When Vin Diesel made an early prediction that Furious 7 would win “Best Picture” at the 2016 Academy Awards, anyone with half an understanding of how the movie industry works knows he couldn’t have been serious. Right? [insert: side-eye] After seeing Furious 7, I kind of wish it wasn’t such an outlandish idea. I don’t actually want it to win “Best Picture,” but I do feel it’s deserving of some kind of recognition (besides a historic run at the box office).

  Before going into what makes this film so enjoyable, let’s take a step back and acknowledge something first. This is an action movie that comes with a relative set of expectations. If you’re looking for some kind of mind-bending twist or an exposé on the human psyche, you should go back and watch Birdman again. It’s great, trust me. Furious 7 takes all of the best attributes from the past films and magnifies them. For those that love the cars and seeing what new things they can do, there’s plenty. For those that appreciate the most recent direction of the series, focusing on a loyal group of daredevils that can defy the basic laws of physics, you’ll also be more than satisfied. It all gets better.

The motivation o…