Fast & Furious' highest-grossing movie was a bittersweet time for the franchise, asalongside being one of the saga’s best outings,Furious 7also featured Paul Walker’s final appearance. However, despite providing an emotional tribute to one of its most iconic actors and delivering a high-quality movie,Fast & Furious' seventh installment also contained a huge missed opportunity. Unsurprisingly, the ending focused on Dom and Brian’s last ride in what was a heartfelt conclusion, but there was still plenty of action involved, with one ofFast & Furious' best villains, Deckard Shaw, being a central part of the story.
As a result, fans wound up loving the blockbuster, as it had all the makings of a classicF&Fentry. The high-stakes action, comedic dialog, and ridiculousstunts thatFast & Furioushas become synonymous with all combined to makeFurious 7a well-received hit, grossing over $1.5 billion in the process. With such a great reception and a box office record for the franchise, it’s hard to denyFurious 7was anything but an undisputed success, yet the 10-year-old project still made a crucial mistake by squandering one of its most exciting additions to the cast.
Furious 7 Wasted Djimon Hounsou’s Jakande As A Secondary Villain
Djimon Hounsou Didn’t Get A Real Opportunity To Shine In The Fast & Furious Franchise
ConsideringFast & Furiousis filled with big names, it was always going to be difficult for everyone to shine, butFurious 7didn’t take advantage of Djimon Hounsou’s incredible talent.Hounsou has been part of some big movie franchises, such as the MCU, DC,A Quiet Place, andRebel Moon, yetFurious 7restricted him to a secondary villain role. Granted, many of Hounsou’s biggest performances came after joining theFast & Furiousuniverse, but he still had an impressive resume beforehand, making it disappointing that he wasn’t more involved in the blockbuster series throughout the years.
With Jason Statham playing the main villain, Hounsou was overshadowed slightly, and sadly he never came back after his single appearance.
With Jason Statham playing the main villain, Hounsou was overshadowed slightly in what was his only appearance in the franchise. His character was seemingly killed off after Dom and Hobbs blew up his helicopter, and whileFast & Furioushas a trend of retconning major deaths, it doesn’t feel like Jakande will return for the final installment. Sadly, Hounsou’s character actually had a lot of potential, as he was a ruthless mercenary who had plenty of connections to characters such as Cipher, Deckard Shaw, and Ramsey, meaning he could’ve shined as a central antagonist.
Instead, his impact was limited to ensure Shaw had the spotlight, and given Statham’s character went on to be a mainstay, it remains a mystery if Jakande could have had a similar level of importance over the following years. Still, while it was great to have a talent like Hounsou in such a fun action series, it’s a shame he never got the chance to really flourish as a villain, and there’s no doubt he would have been way more memorable if given a greater opportunity.
Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw Was The Center Of Attention In Furious 7
Statham’s Furious 7 Villain Became One Of The Saga’s Biggest Characters
Alongside the series regulars, Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw became the center of attention as he attempted to get revenge on Dom’s crew after they injured his brother inFast & Furious 6. He made a huge impression asFurious 7’s main antagonist, hence him returning for every movie since, including his spinoff film,Hobbs & Shaw. Although he eventually became an ally to the main group, Deckard Shaw was hellbent on destroying Dom and his allies inFurious 7,which spent plenty of time establishing his motivations and showing the lengths he’d go to take them down.
Jason Statham will appear inFast & Furious 11, the franchise’s final main movie.
His ambitious plans put him at odds with the protagonists throughout the movie, and he was even involved in some ofFast & Furious' most over-the-top scenes, but there’s no denying they were iconic.Statham’s action experience also made him a natural fit for the franchise, and with a large part of the narrative based around his quest for vengeance, he was easily one ofFurious 7’s most significant characters. While having him star as the main villain was undoubtedly the right decision, it’s still a massive shame his introduction came mostly at the expense of Hounsou.
Furious 7 Could Still Have Made Shaw & Jakande Equally Important
Despite both characters having their moments,Shaw had the far more memorable scenes inFurious 7, but the film could have let both shine. Given that Jakande was working for Cipher and that she was the main villain of the next movie, keeping him around and focusing more on his relationship with Charlize Theron’s antagonist could have made him feel more special. Statham certainly didn’t need more screen time, and if anything, he could still have excelled with a little less time in the limelight, as Deckard Shaw got plenty of more opportunities down the line alongside the main cast.
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Jakande needed to feel like more of a threat, and while killing Sheppard was a big moment for him, it shouldn’t have been his only highlight. Giving him a bigger presence and a couple of more run-ins with the main crew would have put him on a similar pedestal as Shaw while surviving the helicopter incident could have allowed him to return inThe Fate of the Furious. Therefore, had the franchise opted to go this route,Furious 7could’ve still been a hit, and Hounsou may have gotten the chance to fulfill his fullFast & Furiouspotential.
Fast & Furious
The Fast & Furious franchise revs through the adrenaline-fueled lives of Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers turned global heroes. From the neon-lit streets of Los Angeles to the bustling cities and remote outposts worldwide, they take on high-stakes heists, espionage, and the underground world of street racing. Bound by loyalty and driven by the need for speed, they confront mercenaries, corrupt officials, and personal vendettas all in the name of their found family.
