Critics Consensus: Furious 7 Is Certified Fresh

Furious 7

81%

The Fast and Furious movies have always delivered white-knuckle thrills. However, critics say what separates Furious 7 from the pack is its heart — without skimping on its patented gravity- and logic-defying action sequences, this new installment doubles as a poignant farewell to the late Paul Walker. If you care about the plot, here it is: rogue ex-secret agent Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) seeks revenge on our heroes after they injured his brother in the previous film, and in turn, the gang teams up with the government to bring him down. Vehicular devastation ensues. The pundits say Furious 7‘s story is as silly as ever, but its energetic, over-the-top action will satisfy fans in the series — and might even win some converts. (Check out this week’s Total Recall, in which we count down the best and worst films of the Furious 7 stars.)

What’s On TV:

Critics say that Darren Star’s witty writing and Sutton Foster’s charisma help to elevate Younger (92 percent) above some of TV Land’s previous sitcoms.

Pundits say that Bloodline (75 percent) remains an addictive, tightly drawn brainteaser framed on a believable canvas, even though its tricky timeline detracts from the potency of the story and its characters.

Also opening this week in limited release:

• The Hand That Feeds, a documentary about a group of deli employees who attempt to form an independent union, is at 100 percent.
• The Girl Is In Trouble, a thriller about an aspiring DJ who gets caught up in the dangerous doings of Manhattan’s demimonde, is at 86 percent.
• Lambert & Stamp, a documentary about two aspiring filmmakers who became instrumental in the rise of the Who, is at 83 percent.
• Ned Rifle, starring Aubrey Plaza and Parker Posey in the concluding chapter of Hal Hartley‘s Henry Fool/Fay Grim trilogy, is at 78 percent.
• Cheatin’, Bill Plympton‘s animated romantic comedy about a couple whose courtship goes awry in bizarre fashion, is at 73 percent.
• That Guy Dick Miller, a documentary portrait of the cult favorite B-movie actor, is at 73 percent.
• 5 to 7, starring Anton Yelchin and Bérénice Marlohe in a romantic comedy about a passionate affair between a married woman and an aspiring writer, is at 68 percent.
• Boychoir, starring Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates in an inspirational drama about a troubled kid with a musical gift, is at 67 percent.
• Woman in Gold, starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds in a drama about a woman’s search for a priceless Klimt painting stolen from her family by the Nazis, is at 47 percent.
• Effie Gray, starring Dakota Fanning and Emma Thompson in a period drama about a young woman who makes a break from her loveless marriage, is at 42 percent.
• Cut Bank, starring Liam Hemsworth and Billy Bob Thornton in a drama about a small-town guy who witnesses a crime and tries to use it to his advantage, is at 36 percent.
• Electric Slide, starring Jim Sturgess and Chloë Sevigny in a drama based on the life of an astonishingly prolific bank robber, is at 14 percent.
• Last Knights, starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman in a period adventure film about a warrior who seeks revenge against a bloodthirsty tyrant, is at eight percent.