Fast & Furious 7
Often, we
remember how people come in and out of our life more than what happens in
between. First impressions are brief moments that can last a lifetime, and
final goodbyes can be the hardest moments of our lives to endure. This is the
message at the heart of “Fast & Furious 7”, the latest instalment in the
car racing / action franchise now entering its fourteenth year.
The
anticipation behind this film over the past two years has been enormous. As
“Fast & Furious 6” left us blown away and wanting more, the seventh
instalment high-tailed it into production, planned to be released the following
year. Then in November 2013, things took a drastic turn for the franchise. But
let’s wind back the clock to the summer of 2001, and the story of a little
street racing film and its young star, Paul Walker.
Coming out of
a few teen flicks, the young actor was cast in what would become his most
famous and enduring role, but there’s no way he could have known that at the
time. Starring alongside him was the imposing Vin Diesel, hot off the success
of the brilliant “Pitch Black”. Diesel filled the screen with his presence and
power, whereas Walker brought the
vulnerability and naivety of a fish out of water. Playing undercover LA police
officer Brian O’Conner, he infiltrates the street racing scene through Dom and
his crew, getting caught up in their high risk antics. By the end of the first
film, the lines between crime and the law were blurred as a friendship was
formed that would take a long ride.
It was eight
years later when the original cast were all reunited for “Fast and Furious”,
with Dom still on the run and Brian now promoted from police offer to FBI
agent. He is charged with the task of bringing down Toretto once and for all,
but as the two must pair up to survive, the friendship is reignited, and then
becomes a brotherhood. By “Fast Five” Brian and Dom were more than just
friends; they were brothers. Now both on the run from the law, they stay moving
together, never looking back over the past, but rather racing toward a future
of freedom.
As part six
left us reeling for more, production on the seventh instalment got underway. In
late 2013, the cast were on a break from filming, when tragic news struck. Paul
Walker had been killed in a car crash. My first thought was that this was a
hoax, given the man starred in a car racing franchise, but sadly it wasn’t a
lie. In what seemed to be a tragic accident, Walker
was in a high powered sports car with a friend, who lost control behind the
wheel and sent the two of them to their death. Naturally, production on the
upcoming sequel was halted, giving the cast and crew time to mourn and the rest
of the world, and the films very large fan base, time to come to terms with
such a tragic loss. This also left the question to be answered, “How would the
current sequel being filmed, be finished without one of its major stars?”
Originally due
for a July 2014 release, filming on part seven was put on hold while the
filmmakers worked out what to do. Walker had already completed about half his
scenes for the movie, so with some creative thought, the production was picked
back up again in April 2014, to be finished and released a year later. As we
waited for the film to be released, bits and pieces of news emerged on the
forthcoming sequel about its story and other cast members joining the ranks.
Fans began to wonder how they were going to deal with the early departure of
Brian Walker from a half-completed film, so the makers released a statement
merely saying “Brian will be retired from the series, respectfully” No other
information was released, so we waited to see what would happen in April 2015.
If you’ve
already seen FF7 or you’re intending to, then you’re a series fan and I don’t
need to go into details about the story of the series leading up to this point.
You know what’s happened recently, and how the stage has been set for this new
instalment. And as exiting and awesome as things look in the trailer, that is
just a tease in regards to what waits for you in the film. From the very
beginning the action kicks off, and doesn’t let up for a single moment. I
enjoyed every minute of “Fast & Furious 7”. As ridiculous as it is to see
cars spending more time in the air than on the road, I switched off any sense
of logic and reasoning, and went along for the ride. That’s what this movie is
meant for, as are all movies at the end of day. Films are a form of escape; a
chance to leave the real world for a couple of hours, and see the world from a
view where anything is possible, allowing us to suspend disbelief, relive some
childhood fantasies and connect with our imagination. What’s wrong with that?
Nothing, in my opinion, and this is what the Fast & Furious series has
become about.
As the action
leaps off the screen, you can’t help but feel a sense of sadness knowing that
this is Paul Walker’s last film, and every scene he has on screen, is among his
last. I was asking myself, as I’m sure the rest of the audience was, “How will
Brian leave the story?” This is hinted at during the film, and how it is
actually done by the filmmakers, is special and respectable.
For a series
about high octane car stunts and tough guys fighting it out, “Fast &
Furious 7” takes an emotional turn in its last ten minutes. Using some clever
CGI effects, Paul Walker is still there, even though you know it’s not really
him, you can feel his presence in the final scene. Having grown up on these
films, watching the cast grow and evolve into their characters and take on more
daring stories as the sequels progress, the ending of this instalment is a
perfect way to wrap that up. Brian’s departure from the story is the end of a
journey, much as it was the end of Paul Walker’s short journey on earth. The
cast are so well connected on screen and off, you can feel that their words and
tears are genuine as they say goodbye to Brian, as for them, it was a way to
say goodbye to Paul Walker as well.
The final
scene of the film played out across a silent cinema, after two hours of action
got plenty of gasps, whistles, claps and laughs, the entire theatre was quiet
for Brian and Dom’s farewell. Backed up perfectly by the song “See You Again”,
performed by Wiz Khalifa, it’s a fitting, respectful and heart touching scene.
Even if you’re not a series devotee and feel a connection to the characters, I
think you’ll find it hard not to be moved by the final scene of this film, as
it says goodbye to its long running star, who will certainly leave a gaping
hole in the heart of the series and fans alike. Farewell Paul Walker; an actor
that was watchable, likeable and relatable, taking the audience into the Fast
and Furious world like a trustworthy friend. Rest in Peace. You will be missed.
No comments:
Post a Comment