THE EQUALIZER is one of my favorite TV shows I grew up on.  Robert McCall was a former spy turned vigilante/ private investigator who would help the hopeless who have no one else to turn to.  He would equalize the odds.  It was one of those great 1980s TV series to star Robert Woodward with some great guest star turns.   It has been re-imagined for the big screen in this theatrical remake which is very loosely based on the TV series.  Star Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua have stated they wanted the title and character.   The end result is an entertaining movie which has nothing to do with the TV series.  If you are expecting a remake of the TV series, you may come away being disappointed.  If you like action thrillers starring Denzel, you know the drill and come away with the latest in Denzel Washington comfort food action movies.  

 

The movie revolves around a quiet man called Robert McCall or Bob to some of his co-workers at Home Mart (aka the movie’s version of Home Depot).  He has his set routines and part of his routine is to visit a café to read part of a book (among the 101 books you should read before you die) and talk with a teenage Russian escort, Teri (Chloe Grace Moretz), who has dreams of being a singer.  After he fights against one of her rude johns, she is beaten up by her Russian Mafia pimp and ends up in the hospital.  Robert decides he must try to buy her out of her life as a prostitute, but the local Russian Mafia underestimate and they end up dead within 30 seconds.  The death of the local Russian thugs brings it to the attention of a fixer named Teddy (Martin Csokas) who solves problems for Russian Mafia boss Vladimir Pushkin.  Teddy investigates and leaves a message for the local gangs as he searches for Robert.  The first half of the movie is about Robert relying on the skills from a life he left behind (working for the CIA) and the second half is the cat and mouse game between him and Teddy which climaxes in a fight in Home Depot (I mean Home Mart).

 

If they do make a sequel to THE EQUALIZER (which looks more and more likely based on the money it has made so far), I hope they incorporate more of the characters from the show as this first film is like an origin story of how Robert became the Equalizer to help the hopeless and even the odds.  The TV series has a wealth of stories and characters they could mine for the sequel.  

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Vengeance Mode option as Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua gives scene specific and character specific video commentary on the movie.   I wish they gave an option to view those mini-featurettes outside of Vengeance Mode like Warner Bros blu-rays do with their enhanced mode viewing options.   This mode makes the movie run 22 minutes longer.

 

Fetaurettes:

INSIDE THE EQUALIZER- promotional featurette on how the movie came together and it is also covered in the next featurette on Denzel

DENZEL WASHINGTON: A DIFFERENT KIND OF SUPERHERO- what Denzel brought to the character and script by pairing down the amount of things Robert McCall says and shows it through his eyes (and actions)

EQUALIZER VISION: ANTOINE FUQUA- how Antoine Fuqua approached the movie and scenes as a  director

CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT- all about the type of prep Chloe Moretz went through to be her character including talking to the Children of the Night organization with a  little promo for that group at the end of the featurette

ONE MAN ARMY: TRAINING AND FIGHTING- all about what type of training that Denzel went through so you can show Denzel doing all of the fighting on screen

 

HOME MART: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS ONE BOLT AT A TIME is a spoof commercial for Home Mart with clips from the movie

 

Photo gallery of movie stills and behind-the-scenes photos

 

Previews for other releases from Sony/ Columbia Pictures

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  THE EQUALIZER plays better on repeat views.   You will be disappointed if you expect something like the TV show, but it is a solid 1970s style thriller.  The featurettes are good even though they repeat some info in other featurettes.

 

This review is ©1-5-2015 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com