For those like me that have been waiting years if not decades for The Equalizer to come to the big screen, calm down because this movie may only serve to disappoint you. If you've never seen the show then by all means, check this out. This version of The Equalizer starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall wants to be an origin story from the hit 80's show of the same name, except on the show Robert McCall was a white Englishman living in a brownstone in Harlem. Whereas Denzel's McCall is living in a one bedroom tenement in Boston. TV's McCall was a wealthy retired spy, Denzel's McCall is working in a giant hardware store. If you can get past those differences then you might enjoy Antoine Fuqua's The Equalizer. Granted it's over the top at times and it beats you over the head with McCall being a solitary man, not to mention it doesn't even begin to tell you why he would put himself on the line to help a hooker he only knows from late night diner conversations over books and pie, but I digress. There are some cliches but they aren't overwhelming surprisingly and the violence is brutal. Much of this movie reminds me of the character Denzel portrayed in a far superior movie, Man On Fire. This movie borrows heavily from Tony Scott's film in regards to McCall's personality and dedication to getting things done.
McCall's nemesis in this movie is Teddy aka Nicholai, played cartoonishly by Marton Csokas. He is the right hand man and hammer of one of the heads of the Russian mob, Vladimir Pushkin played by Vladimir Kulich (I know, I know). Pushkin has his hands in everything from oil and gold, to drugs and women and it's one of these women, a prostitute name Teri aka Alena played by Chloe Grace Moretz who befriends an insomniac McCall at a twenty-four hour diner close to his house. Of course nothing good can come out of this situation but before you can tell yourself that one thing leads to another and McCall is a room full of Russian gangsters. The trailer gives you a sense he survives that encounter but what the movie fails to explain is why McCall felt compelled to go in there and risk his life in the first place. Regardless, Teddy comes to town looking for the one or ones responsible and he comes across McCall on surveillance tapes. The two men play a cat and mouse game for the remainder of the movie that tends to drag on far longer than it should, and the ending was, well remember that over the top comment I made earlier? It applies to the ending.
Denzel does a decent job of bringing Robert McCall to life but honestly he seemed uninspired and his performance isn't something new. The Equalizer has Denzel being Denzel in almost every frame. In essence, he just walked through this movie. The last time Antoine and Denzel worked together they delivered the searing Training Day, which won Denzel his second Oscar (first for Best Actor). This time around there will be no such glory. The score, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams was very reminiscent of his previous works, namely the score he did for The Town, so I was somewhat underwhelmed by the music though it did have it's moments, especially at the end. The cinematography and the look of the film was thanks to Oscar Award winner Mauro Fiore. There were times when the tone was somewhat heavy handed and others when it was perfectly done. All in all I would recommend The Equalizer but only if you've never seen an episode of the original TV series and only if you're fine with Denzel being Denzel, and I'll see you at the theater!
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