FAST & FURIOUS 7 DVD (2015)

SYNOPSIS: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast across the globe in their most gravity-defying and emotional adventure yet. Targeted by a cold-blooded black-ops assassin with a score to settle (Jason Statham), their only hope is to get behind the wheel again and secure an ingenious prototype tracking device. Facing their greatest threat yet in places as far away as Abu Dhabi and as familiar as the Los Angeles streets they call home, the crew must come together once again as a team, and as a family, to protect their own. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

TheFast & Furious franchise has practically evolved from an insipid streetcar racing crime movie to a globetrotting heist series, unexpectedly bigger than any action franchise in recent times.

With a story that is spill over from Fast & Furious 6 and The Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift franchise writer Chris Morgan returned with horror maestro James Wan at the helm. Never mind the fact that you are not a regular series follower or have forgotten that Dom (Vin Diesel) actually appeared at the end of Tokyo Drift. You just need to know that Fast & Furious 7 is yet another supercharged flick equipped with spectacular stunts designed to entertain you.

The previous villain Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) is now critically ill in hospital and it’s time for his brother, ex-special forces turned rogued agent Deckard (Jason Statham) to step in and exact revenge on the team. Before long, the various team members have experienced Deckard’s wrath while at the same time, a Mr Nobody aka Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), leader of a black ops team propose that Dom assist him in recovering a lost computer program dubbed the “God’s Eye” in exchange for his help to stop Deckard. The plan is fixed and yes, the team is back in business.

This is not a movie that calls for elaborate plans unlike Ocean’s Eleven or Mission Impossible. Fast & Furious 7 is purely an excuse to introduce more crazy stunts and over-the-top action. On this account, it indeed delivers first with an exhilarating airdrop before moving the action to Abu Dhabi. The so-called “God’s Eye” is just a silly plot device to move the action across several places and Deckard Shaw amusingly and conveniently appear at every corner, building and car park to take on Dom all because he knows people.

Dwayne Johnson, the DSS agent who fights alongside the team has a smaller role this time and his most memorable contribution is the hard fight against Deckard in the beginning of the movie. Tony ‘Ong Bak’ Jaa officially made his Hollywood debut as a villain and while he is given a few sequences to showcase his prowess, it’s too insignificant to make much of an impact.

The most impressive thing, which the filmmakers have done, is not the topping of the physics-defying stunts in fact by the time the climax took place in downtown L.A., you can’t deny that you already feel slightly dopey from the visuals and noises. What sets this apart from the earlier instalments is the care taken to carve a touching tribute to its fallen star, Paul Walker. It simply makes you feel that the Fast & Furious is no longer the same without his presence. While we await for Fast 8 to grace the screen in 2017, it’s time to celebrate the legacy of Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner once again on home entertainment.   

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Back to the Starting Line is a 12 minutes segment that takes a brief look at the franchise on the whole plus new characters and also a touching tribute to the late Paul Walker. 

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Fast & Furious 7 looks incredibly sharp and vibrant on DVD. There are hardly any noticeable defects and detailing is amazing even for the night sequence. The Dolby Surround 5.1 is often dynamic and intense. Gunfire and explosions put you right in the middle of the action and dialogue is crisp. A perfect title to showcase your surround system, however please switch to night mode if you catching this in the middle of the night.  

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee