Denzel Washington is widely known to be one of the most best actors currently working today. Not only does he possess so much charisma both on and offscreen, but he has managed to grab multiple Oscar nominations, including two wins for his acting. Although he's mainly seen as a dramatic actor and one who has starred in multiple biopics, he has done his share of action flicks as well. While there are some good watches, the one that manages to take the spotlight is the 2014 film based on the 80's series, directed by one of his longtime collaborators and friends, Antoine Fuqua. Robert McCall seems like a mid-aged employee of a local department store, but is in fact a retired government assassin who swore off his violent actions to his deceased wife. When he befriends a teenage prostitute who gets beat-up by her Russian pimp, he takes matters into his own hands and brutally kills the pimp and his guards after they refuse a deal to let McCall buy the girl's freedom. This causes the Russian mafia to send in their enforcer known as Teddy Rensen to not only check up on the business in Boston, but to hunt down McCall for killing the pimp. While all of this is happening, McCall realizes that there's no chivalry or justice in this world and realizes that only a man like himself can put an end to evil. The story is engaging for your typical action thriller and feels in nature to the one made in the 1970's such as "Dirty Harry". The story however can feel a tad messy as there's a lot that happens in the movie. From McCall's various deeds helping people out, his friendship with a employee who wants to be a security guard, Rensen attempting to learn about McCall and the two clashing against each other, all of these do manage to be balanced, paced well and engage the viewer. However, the inciting story thread with the teenage prostitute is perhaps the weakest element. Although that thread is pivotal to the story and the story fully closes out by the end, the girl practically vanishes in the story after she is hospitalized, only appearing in the first act and at the very end. One could've made tweaks to make the narrative tighter, but it's fine as is. Pacing wise, the action really begins after the first act. So for almost half an hour, you have to stay patient as McCall spends time chatting with the prostitute and his co-workers. While I personally can deal with the wait, I know that there can be those who just want an even amount of action throughout the film, even if it means to undermine story or character. The tone sticks more to the serious route as the violence is not attempting to be stylish and gritty like in the "John Wick" films, but brutal and realistic. This film sets itself in a realistic world with crime that goes under the radar and bad man all over the place, but there are always glimpses of satisfaction and hope with the characters and desires.
Robert McCall is by far one of the best action protagonists in recent years, which is helped by Denzel Washington's excellent performance. McCall is a deadly force and can be very brutal and seemingly heartless to his foes, but he's both philosophical and forgiving. He wants and hopes for people to take one chance to take back their misdeeds or face punishment in his hands. There's just so much detail and personality to his character that goes down into a surface level, such as his OCD condition and how he couldn't have a peaceful sleep until the night he kills. He might appear like the most unstoppable force put into film and never seems to actually suffer or take a beating, but at the same time, he doesn't fight for his own life, but for the lives of others, much like a real hero. Marton Csokas plays Teddy Rensen, a somewhat generic enforcer for the Russian mafia who acts as the primary antagonist. Although he's the typical, cold-hearted killer that only pursues his goals, the film even makes him interesting in some level with a fantastic scene of him and McCall meeting face-to-face at a restaurant where the latter reveals his knowledge of Rensen's identity and misdeeds of the past. Regardless of whether he's fully developed or engaging, Csokas does a good job in the role. Chloe Grace Moretz plays Alina, the teenage prostitute who befriends McCall and desires to live a normal life. Although the character doesn't show up much through majority of the film, Moretz is great as the wounded, vulnerable victim to not only a criminal enterprise, but the society that gave up on her unlike McCall's noble nature. The main cast is also supported by a great supporting cast of side characters. From the aspiring security guard, Ralph, the corrupt policeman tied to the Russian mafia, Frank Masters, and former DIA officer as well as McCall's friend, Susan Plummer, the side characters as well as a few other characters I haven't mentioned are all given talented actors and have a memorable scene of their own. However, it is all possible by Washington's riveting performance as McCall that gives off a quality of acting and character to the rest of the cast.
Antoine Fuqua is one of the most underrated directors in the industry. Although he has made various blockbusters and a critically-acclaimed film with "Training Day", not a lot of people really acknowledge how much talent he has for filmmaking. A lot of it has to do with the fantastic cinematography by Mauro Fiore, which captures the visually compelling vision of Fuqia. There's just so much good composition in this movie that it can be one of those films that can be muted and it will still tell the story and emotion through the camera lens and lighting alone. While there's not as much iconography or visually distinct, colourful sequences, it's not supposed to be, given the grounded tone and world. Boston is a city that can be pretty at times in the warm daytime scenes, but acts as the seedy underbelly of criminal activity in the nighttime. The score by Harry Gregson-Williams is very good with the highlights being the softer, somber theme for McCall and the main action theme that is played at the end of the climax that's both awesome for an action scene, yet effective in a dramatic sense. The song, "Vengeance" by Zack Hemsey, used throughout the climax is well paced and edited to the scene itself and I always connect that song to this movie because of it. "Gut Over Fear", the song by Eminem and Sia, is however not a memorable or even that good of a song. It honestly makes "Venom" look like "Lose Yourself". There has been better Eminem movie tie-in songs at the end of the day. The best thing to really demonstrate Fuqua's directing though is through the action and suspense scenes. Not only is Washington doing his own stunts, but the action is just both cool and hard to watch at the same time, just due to the brutality of the kills. The sequences are also just very creative from the quick massacre in the pimp's office, the suspenseful misdirection of the villains searching through McCall's apartment, McCall's interrogating Masters by suffocating him with gasoline, and the climax where McCall turns his local hardware store into a booby-trapped filled deathtrap for Rensen and his men. The scenes, especially the apartment scene, are edited perfectly by John Refoua and they create the exact amount of suspense and thrills that the viewer needs. It's an extremely well-made picture and it's mainly all thanks to Fuqua for leading his team the vision of the project.
"The Equilizer" remains as one of my favourite action film from the past decade. While the story is a tad messy with regards to the overstuffed narrative, Alina's relevance in the film feels somewhat half-baked as she disappears after the first act of the film, the pacing in the first act can make action fanatics test their patience, and the Eminem song tied in to the film is very mediocre. With that said though, everything else about the film is perfect. From the overarching story arcs, the handling of the tone, Washington as McCall, the entire cast being talented and having an engaging personality, the fantastic cinematography by Fiore, Gregson-William's score, awesome action and suspenseful sequences edited brilliantly by Refoua, and the extremely talented directing by Fuqua tying it all together. If you can't handle the slower-paced first act or stomach some of the hard-to-watch scenes regarding the prostitutes or the action, you might not get into this movie much. But, if you love action as a whole, excellent filmmaking in general, or a huge Washington fan, this will undoubtedly be a great watch for you.
Verdict: 8.5/10. A really great flick. Will be reviewing the sequel later this week and constantly hoping for a third film in the series.
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