Review of The Equalizer (2014) by Andrew M — 22 Oct 2016

The first pairing of director Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington, 2001's Training Day, resulted in the latter walking away with his second Oscar. Fuqua and Washington's reunion 13 years later certainly lacks that same Oscar caliber, but is another fun, if flawed, pairing of the director and actor.

Based on the 1980s television show of the same name, although it only seems to draw very basic elements, Washington plays Robert McCall, a retired black ops operative drawn back into action when young prostitute Alina (Chloe Grace Moretz) faces harm from the Russian mob.

In terms of story, it's much more black-and-white than Training Day: whereas that film dealt with lots of morally grey ideas and ethical dilemmas, the sides this time around are more clear and distinguishable.

McCall is the good guy, the Russian mob is the bad guy, and chaos ensues. With that said, McCall is more complex than he initially seems. The first act takes its time in setting up his character and his relationship with Alina.

Washington brings a lot, both physically and mentally, to a role that could otherwise be completely standard action-thriller fare. On the flip side, Moretz is fine, but has little to do outside of the first act: it works in that her character never becomes a damsel in distress or a pawn to be used by the mob, but it never gives Moretz a chance to establish any defining character to Alina.

Like Washington, Fuqua is also in his element here as well: the action scenes certainly earn the film's R rating, with a kind of raw power behind them that makes you feel every punch and every gunshot.

It all culminates in a beautifully absurd (in the best way possible) showdown in a dark home improvement store that makes the slogging second act worth sitting through alone.