Review: The Equalizer Stands Out In A Big Year
- Jul 18, 2018
- 2 min read
2014 was a good year for action. John Wick, Kingsman, The Raid 2, and the list goes on. All we needed was a little Denzel, and boy, did we get it.
Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) seems like no one special. He works the floor at a hardware store, is friends with most everyone he knows, and enjoys a good book from time to time. But all that changes when Teri (Chloe Grace Moretz), a young girl he often talks to at a 24/7 diner, is savagely beaten. Following the breadcrumbs, McCall soon finds himself waging a one man war against the Russian mob, led by the sinister Teddy (Marton Csokas), the individual sent in to clean up the mess. And things will get messy.
Directed by longtime Washington partner-in-crime Antoine Fuqua, The Equalizer was, like Taken before it, an attempt at giving an aged star the reins of an action franchise. And like Taken, The Equalizer chooses and individual known more for their dramatic work than for their action prowess, and it payed off. If not for Washington's apparent ease when it comes to displaying a charismatic man with a dark past, I don't think the film would be as enjoyable as it is. The man effortlessly works his way through dialogue and action, and it's a joy to watch.
And the action. Oh my, the action. It's tight, cleanly shot, and easy to follow. A fight in a club early on is the standout, even in a year of standout club/bar/pub fights. Not only is it visceral, with every punch, every stab and every shot delivering suitably graphic results, but it's also creative. Power drills, corkscrews, shot-glasses, whatever it is, McCall can use it to kill, and does, with entertaining results.
While The Equalizer may not be my #1 action film of 2014, that honour falls to The Raid 2, it is one I won't soon forget. The film is fast, violent and, above all else, entertaining. If you enjoyed John Wick, or got a kick out of Taken, The Equalizer will happily scratch that itch.
Comments