The Equalizer

2014 "What do you see when you look at me?"
7.2| 2h12m| R| en| More Info
Released: 26 September 2014 Released
Producted By: Columbia Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theequalizer
Synopsis

McCall believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he 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 brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.

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leroyengelbrecht This is a great action film always enjoy Denzel's movies the fighting scenes are brutal don't want Robert McCall on your bad side
Harrison Tweed (Top Dawg) So I just finished watching Equalizer (EQ1) again, so I can watch Equalizer 2 (EQ2) for the comparison.It's too bad both films had the same director and writers, as they have a bad habit of dragging out the writing and the scenes. Both films at just over 2 hours is just way too long, especially in the simplistic singular plot or EQ1. However, that plot still worked, and mainly because of the entire casts especially Denzel Washington's performance(s). EQ2 certainly had better pacing and a more suspenseful plot - albeit predictable, however it had many plot issues and holes as well as some scenes that needed to be edited down. The new supporting cast was not as strong either. Which did I enjoy better? Probably EQ1 by a small margin, but they both got an 8/10 from me, as they each had their merits and issues. Nevertheless still enjoyable. I hope if they come out with a EQ3, they speed up the pacing within the writing and directing.
lavatch "The Equalizer" opens with a Mark Twain quote that gets to the heart of the mystery of the protagonist Robert McCall: "The two most important days in your life are the day you born and the day you find out why." In the course of the film we find out the answer to Mr. McCall's purpose in life, namely, to serve as a modern day Robin Hood and balance things about between good and evil in the world.The film developed a compelling narrative with the ex-CIA black ops specialist McCall who has left his past behind and assumed a mild-mannered role as a Home Mart employee and an avid reader of the classics. Following the death of his beloved wife Vivian, McCall has taken to reading the most famous 100 books. He is seen reading Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" and Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man." But the most relevant is the one is the novel he only briefly describes to Alina as a story of a medieval knight errant fighting for the causes of good in the world. Of course, that novel is Cervantes "Don Quixote." Robert McCall is a much more effective redeemer and revenger than Don Quixote. He takes on the Russian mafia that has infiltrated the East Coast, enlisting corrupt Boston policemen and American politicians, and engages in human trafficking, money laundering, and other criminal activities.The best line in the film occurs at the lavish estate of one of Mr. McCall's old CIA colleagues. When McCall pays a visit to her, the CIA official casually informs her husband, "He didn't come for help; he came for permission." The "permission" granted to him is to become a one-man wrecking crew of the nefarious Nicolai Itchenko and his associates, plus the Russian based ringleader, Vladimir Pushkin."The Equalizer" was well-directed with stunning location footage of sites in Boston, outstanding work with camera angles, and effective pacing for a longish film. One of the best scenes is a quiet conversation in a restaurant where Mr. McCall nearly teases out of his adversary Nicolai Itchenkoa confession that Nicolai was the boy who killed his kind benefactors after adopting him and giving him a loving environment. Nicolai Itchenko obviously found out who he was early in life, but refused to change. By contrast, Robert McCall recognized many ways that he could fulfill his destiny, then shape-shifted his way to a sense of service to humanity. One path was working in black ops; one was working as the Equalizer; but another was in the simple act of lending a helping hand to those in need like Alina. The best part of the film was Denzel Washington's complex interpretation of this multi-layered role.
White_Prophet Fun, quotable, stylish, and overall a really good action flick. Denzel is the ultimate badass.