The Equalizer (2014) Movie Review

Synopsis:

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is a man with a mysterious past. He decides to emerge from retirement to help a young girl, Alina (Chloë Grace Moretz), who is under the control of Russian gangsters.

Review:

Denzel Washington has starred in acclaimed films such as Training Day (2001) and American Gangster (2007). With this, he fits into the role of Robert McCall with ease.

Denzel’s abilities as an actor are on full display in The Equalizer, from his stoic nature to his words of wisdom.

As a whole, The Equalizer has a somewhat familiar storyline of enacting justice.

Despite this, Denzel’s acting performance makes the journey more interesting.

Also, The Equalizer’s main antagonist, Nicolai Itchenko, is well-acted by Marton Csokas.

Nicolai, also referred to in the film as Teddy, is an unnerving presence. He portrays a remorseless individual devoid of emotional connections.

These are qualities that Marton Csokas often portrays well throughout the film. With this, Marton's performance more than makes him a match for Denzel’s Robert McCall.

Marton Csokas gives a good performance as Nicolai. Despite this, the character's merciless traits disappear during his final confrontation with McCall.

Marton's performance should be enough to entertain most viewers. This is despite his Nicolai character faltering in the film’s final act.

Actress Chloë Grace Moretz also makes a brief appearance as Alina. Her character becomes the catalyst for McCall’s actions earlier on in the film.

Given her short amount of screen time, Chloe is not given much room to display her acting abilities. This is despite her decent performance.

Director Antoine Fuqua's distinct filmmaking style is also on display throughout the film. This includes his vibrant visual style.

This style is also evident during The Equalizer’s entertaining yet brief action sequences.

This style is also evident during The Equalizer’s brief action sequences.

They falter due to their fast-paced camera style. Despite this, their efficient approach to brutality should please action fans.

Also, The Equalizer includes an entertaining soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams.

Williams’ soundtrack hits its stride during the final action scene in a Home Depot store. As a result, Williams builds tension in the process.

Alongside Williams’ soundtrack is a track titled “Vengeance” by Zack Hemsey. This also adds to the atmosphere and tension of the sequence.

Conclusion:

As a whole, The Equalizer is an entertaining, stylish crime thriller. It is a film held together by Denzel Washington’s committed acting performance.

The Equalizer’s main antagonist, Nicolai Itchenko, is also well-portrayed by Marton Csokas.

With it, he displays the character’s emotionless personality to good effect.

Nicolai becomes a more generic antagonist in the film’s final moments. As a result, he loses his aura and sense of purpose.

Chloë Grace Moretz as Alina is decent yet lacks the screen time for the actress to develop further.

Director Antoine Fuqua also showcases The Equalizer's visual style to effective levels.

This film's creative approach to brutality should be enough for most fans. This is despite its distracting editing.

Harry Gregson-Williams’ soundtrack also complements the proceedings during the film. This is despite it being somewhat generic in places.

Zack Hemsey's “Vengeance” soundtrack during the final sequence of the film also helps to add to the scene’s tension and stakes.

All things considered, The Equalizer is an effective thriller that should please most fans of Denzel Washington.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 7/10

Story - 7/10

Action - 7/10

Visuals - 7.5/10

Soundtrack - 7/10

Overall score: 7.1 out of 10