Jason Statham’s villainous character received such a cool introduction in what is arguably the bestFast & Furiousmovie. While the first fewFast & Furiousmoviesfocused more on street racing,Fast FiveandFast & Furious 6evolved the franchiseinto more traditional action movies. After this change,Fast & Furiousquickly became one of the biggest action franchises in Hollywood. However, at this point, while the series had many likable characters, it never really had a despicable villain that audiences were terrified of.
This all changed with the tease of Statham’s Deckard Shaw at theend ofFast & Furious 6.Fast Five’sHernan Reyes was a criminal kingpin, but wasn’t really that intimidating for characters like Dominic Toretto and Luke Hobbs.Fast & Furious 6’sOwen Shaw was a step-up, but still left something to be desired. Luckily,Furious 7introduced Deckard Shaw, who promised to get revenge after Dom and his team gravely injured his brother. At the beginning ofFurious 7,Deckard Shaw gets the coolest introduction that an action movie villain could have.
Furious 7’s Opening Sequence Is One Of The Coolest Villain Introductions Ever
Furious 7 Immediately Shows That Deckard Shaw Is A Major Threat
At the end ofFast & Furious 6, it is revealed that Statham’s Deckard Shaw was actually responsible for the supposed death of Han, which happened all the way back in the third film in the series. Since Han is such a beloved character, this reveal established that Deckard Shaw would be the most villainous character in the franchise. AfterFast & Furious 6’sshocking ending,Furious 7wastes no time establishing just how dangerous Deckard Shaw really is.
Furious 7begins with Deckard Shaw visiting his brother in the hospital. Even though Owen is unconscious, Deckard talks about how he’s always been the one who has to step in to defend his brother. After swearing to get revenge for Owen, Deckard leaves the room, revealing a hospital that is in ruins. As Deckard walks through the hospital, audiences can see how many police officers he killed to get to his brother. This scene is not only incredibly cool, but also immediately proves thatDeckard will be a major threat for Dom, Brian, and their crew inFurious 7.
Furious 7 Made The Most Of Jason Statham As A Villain
Furious 7 Gives Deckard Shaw Many Evil Moments
After receiving pardons for their crimes inFast & Furious 6,Furious 7shows that Dom, Brian, and the rest of their crew have separated and are enjoying their lives. However, this doesn’t last for long. After visiting Owen in the hospital at the beginning ofFurious 7, Deckard Shaw breaks into the DSS field office in Los Angeles to get more information about Dom and his crew. It is here thatDeckard fights with Luke Hobbs, who is arguably the most formidable fighter in theFast & Furiousfranchise.
Fast & Furious Would’ve Been A Very Different Franchise If This 19-Year-Old Movie Hadn’t Flopped
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift flopping at the box office led to the franchise focusing more on action, rather than cars and street racing.
However,Deckard manages to injure Hobbs and escape, which further proves how tough of an enemy he will be. Including moments like Deckard walking through the battered hospital and fighting Hobbs early inFurious 7proved that he would be the most dangerous villain in the franchise. Even ten years after the release ofFurious 7, it’s still possible that Deckard Shaw is thebest villain in theFast & Furiousfranchise. Even though Deckard eventually becomes a likable anti-hero, he is truly despicable and menacing inFurious 7.
Deckard Shaw Has Become One Of The Best Fast & Furious Characters
A major part of the reason why Deckard Shaw is such an effective villain inFurious 7is because of Statham’s performance.Statham portrayed Deckard as a cold, heartless man who will stop at nothingto get revenge. This led to amazing scenes like the hospital scene, his fight with Hobbs, and his final fight with Dom at the end ofFurious 7. However, when Statham returns inThe Fate of the Furious, Deckard Shaw is a much different character.
Fast & Furious 6 (mid-credits)
71%
82%
67%
F9 (mid-credits)
59%
Fast X
57%
InThe Fate of the Furious, Deckard is much more likable, which led to him getting aFast & Furiousspinoff alongside Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs. His appearances inThe Fate of the Furious,Hobbs & Shaw, and otherFast & Furiousmovies have led to many amazing scenes for Deckard Shaw. Deckard’s prison breakout with Hobbs at the beginning ofThe Fate of the Furious, in particular, is an iconic moment for the character. Therefore, after Deckard Shaw’s introduction inFurious 7, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he has become one of the bestFast & Furiouscharacters.
