‘Furious 7’ a tearjerker?

Without giving plot points away, the most surprising thing about my viewing of “Furious 7,” the latest in the wildly successful franchise about car thieves-turned lawmen-turned vigilante super-spies, was that in the closing minutes of the film I started to hear sobbing.

It started with someone a few rows behind me, then I could hear it scattered through the theater. “Furious 7’s” final tribute to the late Paul Walker instigated the tears and, as ridiculously implausible as these films are, there was something real about it, even with voice-over narration from the gravely-voiced Vin Diesel as anti-hero father-figure Dominic Toretto.

People often marvel at the success of a franchise that seems to get bigger with each entry. They defy the Hollywood sequel curses. Sequels are grossing more, not less. They replace actors and they’re still hits. They return those actors and it’s a hit. They add multiple characters and it’s a hit. The question becomes why are these films so popular?

I think the answer is in the sobbing. The “Fast and the Furious,” the original entry into the franchise, had at its heart a group of beautiful, young diverse people struggling to develop their own moral code and their own family bonds since moms and dads are absent. I don’t think it was overly intentional, but I think it struck a chord in an America increasingly diverse and increasingly populated by the children of broken families looking for structure, authority, and family.

The beautiful women, fast cars, action sequences and crazy stunts were grounded by the increasing bonds of brotherhood by men, the commitment to siblings, the loyalty to family and now audiences have grown up with them. The appeal is similar with comic book movies. “Spiderman” is for awkward teens looking to be empowered. “X-men” has been symbolic for gay kids (and others) who seek acceptance even though they are “different.” “Fast and Furious” films are essentially superhero stories without the super powers (though their driving skills and ability to survive accidents would arguably qualify).

“Furious 7” introduces four villains for each of our heroes to battle. Martial arts master, “Transporter,” and “Expendables,” Jason Statham plays Deckard Shaw, an assassin out for revenge (and seen in the closing frames of the last film). Vin Diesel’s Dominic and Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs have their hands filled with him. Paul Walker’s foe is the insanely agile Tony Jaa, and stunning Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty is forced to do battle with MMA star Ronda Rousey. The fourth villain gives the whole team trouble in the form of a drone programmed to do the will of an Al Qaeda-like terrorist played by Djimon Hounsou.

The plot really doesn’t matter, but in a nutshell, our heroes must get revenge on Statham’s Deckard Shaw for killing their friend, but to do it they need to retrieve “God’s Eye” for a U.S. Intelligence agency and protect Ramsey, the creator of the program played by the unbelievably adorable Nathalie Emmanuel (of HBO’s Game of Thrones). Her addition creates a new amusing romantic rivalry amongst the team.

The dialogue is ridiculous, the action is relentless and unbelievable, the swimsuits are revealing, cars are fast and the fighting is furious. Plus, Kurt Russell has been added to the mix. In other words, it’s exactly what fans were hoping for.