The cast and crew of Furious 7 were dealt a heartbreaking loss and a significant creative challenge when Paul Walker died in the middle of production. It’s a credit to everyone involved that the final product delivers the over-the-top thrill ride that fans of the Fast and Furious franchise have come to expect, while successfully paying tribute to Paul Walker in final on-screen performance.

Things pick up not long after the events of Fast & Furious 6. The Toretto Crew is back in Los Angeles, trying to adjust to a more normal life of family responsibility and regular jobs. Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and Dom (Vin Diesel) have been reunited, but their relationship is strained due to her lingering amnesia. Meanwhile, Brian and Mia (Jordana Brewster) are adjusting to life as parents. Brian loves, being a dad, but sometimes, the thrill of the action still nags at him. Last but not least, DSS Agents Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Neves (Elsa Pataky) are back in the LA office, with Hobbs recommending Neves for a promotion.

The relative peace doesn’t last long though. Master Black ops Assassin Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is determined to finish what his brother started in Furious 6. Shaw breaks into the DDS office and detonates a bomb, leaving Dom severely injured. With the Crew now desperate to take decisive action, cue the arrival of Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) a covert Black ops agent with a love for Belgian Ale and a deal for Toretto and his Crew: rescue a hacker named Ramsay (Nathalie Emmanuel), retrieve the ultimate tracking device known as the “God’s Eye” and in return, Toretto can use he God’s Eye to find Shaw.

While all this is happening, we get lots of flashy, flying cars. Cars even parachute out of planes and jump between skyscrapers. The theatrics and the carnage extends from Los Angeles to Azerbaijan and Abu Dhabi. By the film’s explosive end, it looks as though most of L.A’s highway and bridge system has been bombed out. Miraculously, nobody but the villain gets hurt. While it’s true that Chris Morgan’s script doesn’t really have 127 minutes of story to tell, the bloated runtime is more a blessing than a curse, given all the adrenaline pumping action sequences.

Nearly every set peace is impeccable and every action sequence is on point. And while their mission is straightforward, each character has a part to play and does it well. Vin Diesel’s Toretto remains a one note character, but his desire to protect his ‘family’ is as strong as ever, so it works. Dwayne Johnson is only in the film for about fifteen minutes, but he manages to make every second count. Franchise newcomer Kurt Russell manages to steal every scene he’s in, so it will be interesting to see if the filmmakers find a place for him in the next installment.

As for Paul Walker, director James Wan used Walker’s brothers Caleb and Cody in addition to facial replacement technology to complete his scenes and the results are remarkably effective. The final scene between Walker’s Brian O’Conner and Diesel’s Toretto will likely bring tears to your eyes.

Presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer from Universal is top notch. Clarity and detail is splendid. You can see every pore on the faces when there’s a close-up and the minute hairs of every stubble. Depth-of-field is excellent throughout and the bright colors pop off the screen. Black levels are deep and inky. There are no digital anomalies to report.

Furious 7‘s DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack features nice clarity and heft. Music pumps from every speaker and dialogue is crystal clear in the center speaker. Action scenes are well defined and explosions fill the soundfield. The sounds of squealing cars zig zag across the soundfield creating a truly immersive effect when necessary. Much like the video, there are no real flaws to report.

English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles are included.

The following extras are available:

  • Deleted Scenes (HD) Letty at Clinic (2:09), Ramsey/Dom (2:15), Dressed Up (0:57), and Letty Call from Nurse (0:38).
  • Talking Fast (HD, 31:47) Director James Wan hosts a look at some of the key moments from the film. Wan discusses some technically and dramatically astute details over a large monitor that shows both clips form the film and behind-the-scenes footage. Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges also share a few thoughts.
  • Back to the Starting Line (HD, 12:11) A look at the evolution of the franchise; the characters sense of family; the new villain and Jason Statham’s performance; the work of Kurt Russell, Nathalie Emmanuel, Djimon Hounsou, and Tony Jaa in the film; James Wan’s direction; and Paul Walker’s death.
  • Flying Cars (HD, 5:42) A discussion about creating one of the film’s action scenes.
  • Snatch and Grab (HD, 7:31) More about the making of the action scene in the previous extra.
  • Tower Jumps (HD, 6:53) A look at another of the film’s car stunt scenes.
  • Inside the Fight (1080p) Glimpses into the making of four of the film’s hand-to-hand fight scenes. Included are Hobbs vs. Shaw (3:15), Girl Fight (3:20), Dom vs. Shaw (2:52), and Tej Takes Action (1:36).
  • The Cars of Furious (HD, 10:42) A look at the cars seen in the film.
  • Race Wars (HD, 6:34) A look at the importance of the event to this film and the overall franchise.
  • Music Video (HD, 4:05) “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth.
  • Making of Fast & Furious Supercharged Ride (SD, 8:15) A look inside the Fast and Furious-themed amusement park ride.
  • Theatrical Cut of the Film (HD, 2:17:26)
  • DVD copy of the film.
  • Voucher for a UV/iTunes Digital Copy.