The Equalizer
Published January 31, 2015
Film info
- Title The Equalizer
- Director Antoine Fuqua
- Year 2014
- Run time 2hrs 12m
- Genres Crime, Thriller, Action
- Tagline What do you see when you look at me?
Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when McCall meets Teri, a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalise the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 2:06 | His alarm is going but he’s not there. Will it ever stop? Gah! |
| 4:37 | Crisp sandwiches are the best. |
| 4:54 | “Progress, not perfection.” |
| 13:46 | Heaps of Denzel words of wisdom so far. |
| 21:25 | Love a film about 100 books to read. |
| 28:36 | How much courage to go in there and then straighten up the pimp’s desk! |
| 35:02 | He was like in the Matrix. |
| 37:02 | She was very careful about the way she said ‘gangland style’ there. Psy has a lot to answer for. |
| 42:35 | Struggling to reconcile someone who can stick a corkscrew into someone and then also help out around the friend’s family home. |
| 47:54 | Special set of skills! Yeah! |
| 51:33 | I’m starting to think he wasn’t really a pip. |
| 1:03:45 | He’s never scared of anyone. Imagine going through life not being scared. |
| 1:05:36 | What’s up with the Vaio promotion? They don’t even make them anymore! |
| 1:06:56 | They say books can be weapons, but not like that! |
| 1:15:03 | His OCD is adorable. |
| 1:28:58 | “You disrespected the badge.” |
| 1:31:17 | I wouldn’t mind, I like counting monies. |
| 1:39:36 | Epic tanker explosion! |
| 1:46:37 | It seems crazy to take him on in his own workplace. |
| 1:47:50 | This is rage on a whole other level, it’s properly contained behind the eyes. |
| 1:58:26 | Slo mo sprinklers! |
Conclusions
Love Denzel, so was keen to watch this one, even though it seems just like a Liam Neeson ‘man with specialist skills’ situation. He was, as most always, exceptional, showing some real cold and calculating skills alongside a heartwarming desire to do right by the people he cares about. Chloe Moretz, too, had some great scenes - particularly the stark difference between her at the start of the film and then at the end when everything was changed. Like night and day!
It was beautifully made, you could see each shot carefully crafted, even when it’s just Denzel leaning up against a wall. Frugal use of dialogue, although the main character was keen on dispensing his wisdom wherever possible. There were a hundred lines I could have written down as inspiration for the future. Occasionally, it leant towards too violent but trod the line very carefully, and in the end it was about justice for all.
Rating: 4/5.
Rating: 4 / 5