Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is searching for the team that crippled his brother. After paying a visit to Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), he gets a list of those involved. His hunt for vengeance begins.

After an attempt to kill Brian (Paul Walker) and his family, Dom (Vin Diesel) visits Hobbs. While officially telling Dom to do nothing, Hobbs gives him information on the man who is after them. Dom chases Shaw and confronts him. When things are about to get ugly, a man who calls himself Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) shows up with an army of men, allowing Shaw to escape.

Mr. Nobody needs Dom and his crew (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez) for a mission. They must find and rescue a hacker named Ramsey from the ruthless group who has captured her. Ramsey has created a device called God’s Eye, which allows whoever has it to tap into every electronic device in the world, giving them the ability to locate and track any person anywhere in the world. If they can secure God’s Eye, Mr. Nobody promises to let them use it to find Shaw.

Of course, rescuing Ramsey and securing God’s Eye is an almost impossible task, especially with Shaw hunting them as they go. To make matters worse, Dom, Brian, and crew, make countless enemies along the way. Enemies who want them dead.

Not many franchises make it to a seventh installment. Even fewer can get that far without getting stale and/or ridiculous. (See Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street.) Somehow, the Fast and Furious franchise keeps going strong. Sure, the basics are pretty much the same through each film, but they find ways to keep it fresh and new.

The cast is one we’ve grown to know and care for. Not only have the characters become family, but you almost feel like you are part of that family. We’ve been watching them for 15 years. It’s hard to not feel connected to them. That said, if you are looking for Oscar-worthy performances, you do realize what movie you’re watching, don’t you? They’re not here to win any awards. They’re here to entertain. That means a lot of one-liners and a fair share of cheesiness. If you’ve seen any of the other films in the franchise, and who hasn’t, you know what to expect.

The action, of course, is what these movies are about. Every film we are treated to new spins on the action sequences, and the cars themselves. In Furious 7, we have high-tech surveillance, heavily armed buses, helicopter chases through the streets of LA, even parachuting cars. And yet, none of it feels incredible. Of course, a certain amount of suspension of belief is granted to these movies.

The film does have a bit of a somber overtone, however. With the passing of Paul Walker while they were still filming, it casts a bit of a shadow over everything. Again, this is a man we have spent the past 15 years getting to know. It is obvious that the cast truly does think of themselves as family. I never thought a Fast and Furious movie could make me cry, but Vin Diesel’s  moving tribute to both Brian and Paul had me tearing up. It is a perfect ending to honor Paul.

Fast and Furious movies do two things, and they do them well. They are fast. They are furious. That means you can expect plenty of car chases and plenty of violence. Furious 7 is no exception. It is a spectacle you can’t ignore, and you won’t want to. Catch it in the theater to get the full impact of the action.