Is the latest “Fast & Furious” film that good or is Paul Walker’s death the cause of so much praise?
I know many of you may think I’m being a bit insensitive with the headline but just hear me out. When I heard of Paul Walker‘s passing, I was also sad seeing what great humanitarian and person he was. But despite the heartfelt sorrow that many felt for his passing, it doesn’t change the fact that “Furious 7” aka Fast & Furious 7 is not worthy of being the Best Picture caliber film that Vin Diesel proclaims it to be.
Despite the emotional weight of the film from the tragic demise of Paul Walker, this is not a film worthy of being in the 80th percentile on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure it was a fun ride and I would even say that its entertainment value carried some extra clout for its rating, but it’s definitely receiving some escalated reviews compared to similar films and all of the previous “Fast & Furious” films. Here are a few points to support my theory.
“Fast & Furious 7” was entertaining, but not the best in the series
Was “Fast & Furious 7” a fun film? Sure it was. Was it the best of the series? No. This film had an obvious bigger budget but if we’ve learned anything from high budget films, it doesn’t necessarily correlate with quality. “Furious 7” was highly action-packed but that amount of action made a majority of the dialogue-driven scenes seem forced, rushed, and emotionally stagnant. They tried to explore every character on the team (which has grown to a HUGE number) which left little room for any sincerity. Paul Walker did have the most heart-felt and well acted moments throughout the film but he is not the primary focus of the film, it’s about the team. I, like many, joined in the clapping at the end when Paul Walker’s last moments were shared on screen but this was not his best film, nor was it the best film of the “Fast & Furious” franchise. Paul Walker was an asset to the franchise and an asset to the planet, but unfortunately “Furious 7” was lacking in many cinematic elements that previous “Fast & Furious” films had.
The Rotten Tomatoes score was obviously inflated and undeserving
In addition to my statement above, according to Rotten Tomatoes, “Furious 7” is leaps and bounds above the other films based on critics’ perception. Scoring a whopping 83% in positive reviews, this not only sets “Furious 7” as the best reviewed “Fast & Furious” film but also better reviewed than a plethora of other critically acclaimed films including two 2015 Best Picture nominees (“American Sniper,” “Theory of Everything”). While I have my own qualms with Rotten Tomatoes’ ranking system (we’ll get into that for a future post), it has set a standard of comparison for films. After reading a few of the reviews from RT Top Critics myself, it seems as though they were more being polite with their critique of the film rather than giving it praise. One of the top critics, Richard Roeper, reinforces this theory with his own critique which dodges his own contempt of “Furious 7” by pandering to the film’s relation to Paul Walker’s tragic death.
“Furious 7” could have come across as ghoulish, but it’s not until the very end that we’re reminded of Walker’s fate, and the filmmakers handle it with taste and respect.
– Richard Roeper
While Richard Roeper is just one example, you can read through many critic opinions who seemed to inflate their review based on the film being a reminder of Paul Walker. I do believe that Paul Walker is deserving of posthumous praise, but the facts are pretty clear. “Fast & Furious 7” has been getting a little extra boost in its ratings based on the Paul Walker tragedy, and Rotten Tomatoes has proven this with its compiled list of like-minded critics.
Click to the NEXT PAGE below for the final thoughts…
Paul Walker’s death was responsible for “Furious 7’s” incredible success
“Furious 7” pulled in around $150 million opening weekend but it wasn’t just a loyal “Fast & Furious” fanbase that brought in those numbers. The related trending topics leading up to the film surrounded Paul Walker’s death just as much as the film itself and possibly more. In addition to the trailer releases being trending topics, there were a few indirect “Furious 7” trending topics that built hype for the film. The CGI images of Paul Walker gained a lot of attention from fans wanting to know how this version of him would look on screen. Also the use of his brother in the role gained notable attention as well.
Outside of the digitally inserted version of Paul Walker, Vin Diesel was at the center of many trending topics. Whether it was naming his daughter Paulina in honor of Walker or getting choked up when presenting the first screening of the film, his heartbreak from the loss of his friend took center stage on social media. While I’m sure it was not intended, Vin Diesel’s sorrow was a definite publicity boost for “Furious 7” and the record box office numbers proved that the boost worked. Fans shared in his sorrow and despite us all knowing “Furious 7” would not be “Best Picture worthy,” we were still intrigued by the events leading up to the film and seeing Vin Diesel and Paul Walker together for one last ride.
Final Thoughts
While this may seem like an insensitive topic, it’s not my intention. This is purely an observation of the power and impact of Paul Walker’s death on the “Fast & Furious” franchise. While the film’s rating may be inflated due to his death, it clearly shows that his presence in the film had such an impact that it influenced the outspoken opinions of many prestigious top film critics.
I still say that “Furious 7” was a fun ride, but it carried a little more of an emotional impact due to the tragic events that preceded the film. It’s sad to see Paul Walker gone so soon but the impact his loss had on the film was apparent. It’s not necessarily a bad thing that his final “Fast & Furious” film received elevated clout, in fact it’s heartwarming to see such support. In regards to judgement of the film, just because I don’t agree with the reviews, doesn’t mean I don’t approve.