Director: Antoine Fuqua

Starring: Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas & Chloe Grace Moretz

Running Time: 131 mins

Release date: 26 Sept, 2014

Worldwide Gross: N/A

 

 

 

 

Basic Plot:

 

Based on the television series of the same name, The Equalizer is about Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) a mild-mannered hardware store attendant with a mysterious but violent past. When a young prostitute named Teri is savagely beaten by her Russian pimp Slavi (Daniel Meunier) McCall takes it upon himself to eliminate the gang. In doing so he becomes a local vigilante dedicated to helping victims of organised crime in Boston. However his actions also draw the attention of the Russian mob’s deadly enforcer Teddy (Marton Csokas).

 

Clock Watching? = 13/20

 

The Equalizer takes a loooong time to get going, mostly spent establishing McCall’s character, his compulsions and frustrations. So much so that you almost think the deadliest adversary he faces is his own obsessive compulsive disorder. It has to be said though that it’s impressive for a man to try and neaten up a pimp’s desk even as he threatens him.

 

While the early scenes are more frustrating than tense when the action finally does get going it really gets going. A series of brutal encounters involving stealth take-downs, gun fights and hand-to-hand combat mean that the rest of the film proceeds at a nice pace. Ending in an almost comical climax as McCall McGuyver’s various traps and weaponry from the hardware store he works at. Though this is where the film does start to veer close towards being a parody of itself.

 

It has to be said that the film is brought down by a distinct lack of tension. Teddy closes in on him relatively quickly but neither McCall nor the people he cares about seem remotely in any danger for much of the film. Instead his investigation into the Russians is merely one shallow victory after another, essentially buying time until the big, final shootout.

 

Oscar Performances? = 17/20

 

Washington is on top form here, even in a role of such limited dimension. He imbues McCall with tiny ticks and movements of introspection the drive home just why this character does what he does. McCall is simply compelled to help people, doing so in little ways seems to satisfy him for a time but eventually he needs to be a hero. If there’s anything bad about this addiction it’s that the film never tries to do anything with it. This isn’t a character piece on McCall but a conventional action film that provides an outlet for his impulses.

Also of note is Csokas as our main antagonist Teddy, a chilling performance as a man who seems to be fighting a constant battle against his own emotions. At times the film can’t seem to decide whether he’s an icy sociopath or a powerhouse of rage but he brings suspense to almost all his scenes nonetheless.

 

Sadly the disappointment is Chloe Moretz whose considerable talents can’t bring anything of interest to her walking cliché of a character. Wow, a prostitute with a heart of gold who longs to be a singer, I can’t imagine how many script meetings that took to write. It’s such a perfunctory role that she even disappears for much of the film and my only response was gratitude that they hadn’t made Moretz spout off some terrible Russian accent beforehand.

 

Lights, Camera, Direction? = 15/20

 

For better or worse The Equalizer is a slickly produced, suitably staged action movie with the fights and shootouts having that pleasant visceral quality to engage you. It never resorts to the schizophrenic shaky-cam of The Bourne Identity and finds consistently inventive ways to show off McCall’s badassery. It’s nothing on par with say The Raid 2 but it’ll do for now. Plus the film presents a thoroughly lived-in, inner city Boston that adds a touch of realism to an otherwise completely improbably story.

 

Tell a Friend? = 14/20

 

Probably more tell your Dad as with its older-than-average lead in a ‘Surrogate Father Knows Best’ kind of role, The Equalizer is going to be a big hit with middle-aged men. Anyone else will probably find it an enjoyable if ultimately disposable action flick.

 

Again? = 9/20

 

I like my action films with a slightly better hook than a badass version of Monk, though there’s definitely a film series in that concept. The Equalizer though is probably destined to be the kind of film thrown on TV during a lazy Sunday afternoon.

 

Total = 68%

 

A serviceable action film to be beloved by Dad’s and momentarily enjoyed by everyone else.

 

by Liam Macloed