The Equalizer

***
UK Release Date: September 26th 2014

A man believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and has dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her.

Director: Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter, Olympus Has Fallen)

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace-Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Martin Csokas

Denzel Washington has taken a different turn with The Equalizer. His performance is no less enticing but his ex-CIA operative Robert McCall is exactly what a balls-out action needs; a ruthless man with the power to play moralistic vigilante. 

McCall's daily routine is regimented, pinning him as an obsessive compulsive. If someone were to hurt those around him, or disturb his routine, they're lifespan would be terribly shortened. 

Moretz's escort Teri falls under a bad case of misused potential. She's barely seen after being assaulted by the gangsters that 'own' her. McCall befriends her in the diner he visits every night, and his odd effection for her starts this chaos. He's upset the wrong people, and they just happen to be the Mafia. Washington claims the spotlight, dazzling the crowd with surprisingly intense action and a cool demeanour. There's little time spent with anyone else.

There are moments that come across as funny when they shouldn't be. One is Csokas's hired assassin. His dialogue is ropey, stripping him of his heinous edge. The second is McCall's last stand. He takes down his enemies with any tools or implements within in reach. Some are effective, others questionable (and laughable), siphoning the proposed emotion out of the scene. I guess we might do the same if we were in his shoes, or merely squirm like a coward. 

The Equalizer isn't a film that Denzel usually goes for, but his partnership with Fuqua has proved eloquent (Training Day). TE is less character driven than Training Day but highly plot driven. We get nothing out of McCall, no back-story and no emotional connection. Vengeance is the main dish, and it has been served well.