I’m not going to waste ANY time getting started with this one. No, you’re not daydreaming. Denzel Washington has teamed-up again with director Antoine Fuqua and once again, they’ve created another outstanding masterpiece of a movie. In fact, the film has seen such postive reviews so far that there’s already talk of a sequal and even a possible franchise. After seeing the film myself, I would not be surprised in the least if
these rumors were true. A sequel would certainly be one worth the wait.
Based on the T.V. show of the same name which ran from 1985 to 1989 and starred Edward Woodward, the movie adaption of “The Equalizer” stars Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace
Moretz, Marton Csokas, David Harbour, Haley Bennett, Melissa Leo, and Bill Pullman.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Replacement Killers), “The Equalizer” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6th and is set for it’s
U.S. premiere on Friday the 26th.
Denzel Washington portrays McCall, a man who has recently settled down to begin a new life quietly putting his mysterious past behind him. By day, he manages a large hardware store.
His nights are spent in quiet solitude with the exception of his visits to the 24-hour diner for tea down the street from his home where he befriends Teri (Moretz), an aspiring singer forced to work as a callgirl for a group of violent Russian mobsters based in Boston.
One night Teri goes missing and McCall learns that she was severly beaten by her pimp. Unable to sit by and watch the life of his friend ruined and perhaps ended, McCall emerges from his self-imposed retirement and armed with his ‘deadly skillset’ sets out to seek revenge anyone who preys upon the weak and finds his desire for justice reawakened.
“Are The Odds Against You? Need Help? Call The Equalizer”
I’m going to call this one right now: 4 out of 5 stars. Honestly, I really couldn’t find anything about the film I DIDN’T like. Sometimes the film slowed down, then it was like a switch was hit and it speed right back up but it was always good.
When the film did move to a slow pace, it was only to give ‘insight’ into the mindset of the McCall character. Particularly in the beginning when you’re learning about him.
It’s almost immediately inferred that he’s trying put his mysterious past behind him and settle into his new, quiet life. When McCall’s friend Teri is placed in jeopordy though, it’s like listening to the engine of a race car being started and primed. You know trouble is about to go down and McCall is going to be the one who ‘deals’ with that trouble.
The film is violent. Definitely too violent for the kids. It does deliver though. A “do unto others” film, if you will. Denzel depicts the ultimate interpretation of the phrase ‘What goes around, comes around” and does it with style.
4 stars out of 5
Second review by Ryan Guerra
Denzel Washington is back, this time teaming up once again with Training Day director Antoine Fuqua. If you always liked Denzel in Training Day but wished he was a good guy, you are going to want to watch The Equalizer. Denzel plays a man with “particular skills” that enables him to out Liam Neeson, Liam Neeson from Taken. It’s not very clear what his government/military past has been, but we know that it has given Denzel’s character, McCall, the ability to be several moves ahead and to kill his way out of any situation…without a gun.
McCall is trying to live a peaceful life away from his past with his day job at a home improvement store. All in all, he is a good dude. But when he sees his young friend played by Chloe Grace Moretz get abused, McCall finds himself returning to this former life in order to help her and others. Not because he is asked, but because he can. And the film continues from there in a fast paced but controlled manner as we are introduced to the true villains who cause McCall to dive deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of his past.
All in all this film is not reinventing the wheel. We have seen these kinds of movies before. But because of Denzel’s and Marton Csokas performance as the insane calculating villain, this film stands above so many others like it. In fact, this film tested so well back in February that Columbia Pictures already green lit a sequel, which is interesting, because this film is self-contained in its own story and because Denzel has never filmed a sequel before. That being said, I hope he decides to do it, because I would enjoy seeing more cinematic adventures of Denzel as this character. If you like action movies with strong bad-ass characters don’t miss this one.
4.5 stars out of 5
