The Equalizer

Based on the 1980s television show of the same name, The Equalizer follows Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall as he reluctantly helps a teenage prostitute (Chloë Grace Moretz’s Teri) and is subsequently drawn into a battle against Russian mobsters. Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua has infused The Equalizer with a remarkably gripping feel that’s in place right from the get-go, which is all-the-more-impressive given that the movie is, in its early scenes, concerned primarily with the protagonist’s low-key, day-to-day exploits. (It’s worth noting, however, that a fair amount of suspense exists even during this opening stretch, as it’s clear immediately that there’s much more to Washington’s character than meets the eye.) The slow build ensures that The Equalizer‘s first major action sequence, in which McCall takes on a room full of armed thugs, is far more electrifying and engrossing than one might’ve anticipated, with the movie, past that point, progressing into an unpredictable yet episodic midsection that wears its small-screen origins like a badge of honor (ie McCall moves from one “case” to the next). It’s all quite watchable, basically, although it’s difficult to see the value of McCall’s visit with a couple of old cronies – which ultimately does cement the feeling that Fuqua, along with editor John Refoua, could (and should) have streamlined the narrative to, at the very least, a running time shorter than two hours. Such concerns become moot once The Equalizer charges into its absolutely spellbinding third act, with McCall’s final confrontation with the movie’s various villains, including a scenery-chewing Marton Csokas, delivering everything one could’ve asked and hoped for (plus maybe even a little more) – which certainly confirms the film’s place as Fuqua’s most accomplished effort since 2001’s Training Day.

***1/2 out of ****