The Equalizer Review

Rated R (Strong Bloody Violence and Language Throughout, including Some Sexual References)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 11 Minutes

Cast-

Denzel Washington-Robert McCall

Chloë Grace Moretz-Teri/Alina

Marton Csokas-Teddy

David Harbour-Frank Masters

Melissa Leo-Susan Plummer

Bill Pullman-Brian Plummer

Johnny Skourtis-Ralphie

Haley Bennett-Mandy

David Meunier-Slavi

Alex Veadov-Tevi

Vladimir Kulich-Vladimir Pushkin

Anastasia Mousis-Jenny

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Denzel Washington--the epitome of badassery.

Note: At AMC Loews 34th Street 14.

There's a scene in Antoine Fuqua's latest film "The Equalizer" where the main character, Robert McCall, coolly walks away from a massive explosion in slow motion. It's an action movie cliché that's been done to death already but I have to admit, it looks extremely badass, especially when said character is played by the venerable Denzel Washington. The two-time Academy Award-winning actor, who's just a year away from hitting sixty, seems to love starring in action thrillers as much as weighty dramas. While Washington may not be the biggest movie star in Hollywood, he's by far the most consistent as his films almost always open with $20+ million debuts at the domestic box office, with the occasional $30 million (2010's "The Book of Eli") and $40 million debut (2007's "American Gangster" and 2012's "Safe House") sprinkled about. The man has just about done it all over the past forty years but one thing he's never done is star in a sequel. Well, that's about to change with "The Equalizer," loosely based on the CBS television series of the same name, which starred British actor Edward Woodward and ran for eighty-eight episodes across four seasons between 1985 and 1989. Columbia Pictures/Sony is obviously gunning for a new franchise here. In fact, the studio is already developing a sequel after this one apparently scored through the roof during a test screening back in February. Normally I don't approve of such bullish moves in Hollywood but now that I've seen Fuqua's film, I have to say, I'm excited for a sequel. Although it doesn't exactly break the mold as far as vigilante-themed action thrillers go, "The Equalizer" remains a riveting, stylishly-directed film that's elevated by a fantastically badass performance from Denzel Washington.

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a widowed, unassuming middle-aged man with a mysterious past, has settled into a quiet life in Boston, Massachusetts, where he works as a stockperson at a big-box home improvement store by day and voraciously makes his way through his late wife's unfinished reading list by night. A chronic insomniac, McCall regularly stops by a local twenty-four hour diner, where he enjoys a hot cup of tea, reads his book, and makes friendly small talk with teenage prostitute Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz). She reveals that her real name is Alina and that she dreams of becoming a singer one day. Unfortunately, such aspirations remain out of reach as long as she is under the controlling thumb of the Russian mafia, led by local mob boss Slavi (David Meunier). When Alina ends up in the ICU after being savagely beaten, McCall dusts off his professional combat training and dispenses brutal justice against Slavi and the other Russian thugs that follow him. His actions trigger the wrath of powerful Moscow-based mafia boss Vladimir Pushkin (Vladimir Kulich), who sends his top enforcer Teddy (Marton Csokas) to take care of McCall. The former government operative must now stay one step ahead as the sociopathic Teddy and the corrupt cops that follow him slowly closes in for the kill.

Marton Csokas plays a sociopathic Russian enforcer on the hunt for McCall.

Working from a script written by Richard Wenk ("The Expendables 2," "The Mechanic"), Antoine Fuqua's "The Equalizer" is something of an atypical action thriller due to its low-key approach and while it's not a superhero film in the traditional sense, it might as well be since it plays out like an origin story of sorts. The opening act takes it slow and is spent by establishing who Robert McCall is as a person, as well as his friendship with teenage prostitute Teri/Alina. Audiences are first introduced to McCall while he's shaving away the white film of hair that has sprouted on his head overnight. Hopping on the crowded MBTA bus, he then commutes to his job at a big-box home improvement store called Home Mart. The idea of a deadly government operative putting his violent past behind him and leading a quiet, anonymous life is nothing new but McCall isn't the usual tortured hero who keeps everyone at arm's length. He's a genuine people person, frequently joking around with his co-workers (when asked about his past, McCall tells them he used to be one of Gladys Knight's Pips and even shows off some slick dance moves) while also helping out his friend Ralphie (Johnny Skourtis) train and lose weight so that he can become a security guard. Some of McCall's dialogue can be rather clunky, like something out of a cheesy motivational poster ('Progress, not perfection') but it's refreshing to see what is essentially a B-grade movie take the time to develop its main character. There's a great scene where McCall tells Alina about his late wife's love of reading and his determination to pay tribute to that by going through all the literary classics. Character moments like this are often a rarity in most action thrillers of this type as they're frequently preoccupied with shoving in as many action set-pieces as its running time would allow. Such an approach can quickly grow monotonous so I'm glad of Fuqua's restraint in the first act.

Of course, when the action hits, it hits hard. When McCall sees Alina lying helplessly in the ICU after being savagely beaten by local Russian mob boss Slavi, something snaps within him. A line has been crossed and he cannot sit idly by while doing nothing. However, he doesn't burst into Slavi's place of business with guns blazing. McCall instead tries to negotiate by handing over $9800 in cash in an attempt to buy Alina's freedom. However, Slavi is insulted by the offer and rebuffs it. That proves to be a very unwise choice for him and his band of thugs. What follows is a slow-burn cat-and-mouse game between McCall and the ironically-named Teddy, a sociopathic enforcer sent from Moscow. It's highly entertaining to watch, with Fuqua capturing the former government operative's uncanny ability to quickly assess a dangerous situation by slowing down time and going into what the production notes call 'Equalizer Vision,' similar to what Guy Ritchie did in his "Sherlock Holmes" films. McCall has a brutal yet cleanly efficient fighting style, with the man coming off as practically superhuman at times as he shrugs off bullet wounds and turns every household object into a lethal weapon. Hell, the final act plays like a gritty, R-rated version of "MacGyver"! Set in the spacious Home Mart at night, McCall methodically stalks Teddy's gun-toting men and picks them off one by one in an increasingly gruesome manner while Harry Gregson-Williams' thumping score plays in the background. Fuqua knows what kind of film he's making yet rarely does the end result look so stylish thanks to Mauro Fiore's moody, evocative cinematography. Sam Woolf from We Got This Covered sums it up best in his own review: 'Any hack can just [shoot] a guy getting hung from a barbwire noose; real pros can make you think there's poetry in it.'

It's a B-movie through and through but "The Equalizer" is elevated by Washington's performance and Antoine Fuqua's confident direction.

If you were to look up the definition of 'badass' in the dictionary, you would simply see a picture of Denzel Washington's face. The critically-acclaimed actor previously worked with Fuqua on 2001's "Training Day," for which he won his second Academy Award for his role as crooked detective Alonzo Harris and it's clear the two have an easy rapport with each other. While I'm lukewarm on some of his films (like 2012's "Flight"), Washington has never given anything less than a solid performance. As I mentioned before, this is B-grade material yet he treats the role with the utmost seriousness, taking care to convey Robert McCall as a redemptive man who only wants to do good. The character's innate decency shines through in scenes depicting his everyday acts of heroism, with Washington making it clear that although McCall can kill you faster than you can blink, he only resorts to violence when all other options are exhausted. One of the best scenes in the film is when his character confronts the sociopathic Teddy at a Russian restaurant and matter-of-factly states that if he doesn't stop hunting him, there will be dire consequences. Marton Csokas is perhaps a little too over-the-top as the central villain but his scenery-chewing is never less than captivating as his character grows increasingly frustrated at failing to capture his prey. Despite receiving second billing, Chloë Grace Moretz only appears in the first act and the last five minutes. Fortunately, she makes the most of her limited screen-time in her scenes with Washington, with their characters exhibiting a pseudo-father/daughter relationship. Finally, David Harbour, who was fantastic as sleazy serial killer Ray in "A Walk Among the Tombstones," brings surprising depth as corrupt Boston cop Frank Masters. Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman also show up in minor roles as former CIA allies of McCall.

Released on September 26, 2014, "The Equalizer" has received lukewarm reviews with 58% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found it to be 'more stylishly violent than meaningful, but with Antoine Fuqua behind the cameras and Denzel Washington dispensing justice, [the film] delivers.' Audience reception appears to be extremely positive and given Washington's near-consistent record at the domestic box office, it's pretty much guaranteed to have a $30+ million debut over the weekend. The executives at Columbia Pictures/Sony must be happy with this news. While "The Equalizer" isn't original in regards to its premise, the film remains a highly entertaining watch. It's also refreshing to see a picture that's not ashamed of its hard R-rating and wears it proudly like a badge of honor. I think it's safe to say that this won't be the last time we'll be seeing Robert McCall 'equalizing' someone.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

"When you pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too."