THE EQUALIZER - Movie Review

 Title: The Equalizer
Running Time: 132 min
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Martin Czokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, Johnny Skourtis, David Harbour

Review:
With "Taken" Liam Neeson found a new niche in Hollywood: Old men kicking a ton of ass. Since then, more and more movies have been trying their luck with this concept and eventhough Denzel Washington had already been kicking butts before his hair got grey, "The Equalizer" can probably be considered one of those attempts. And it worked out pretty damn well!

This film is a terrific action piece that really gives you goosebums in its most brutal moments. Revolving around a guy with a shady past, forced out of 'retirement' to go kill some bad guys, it actually seems like a pretty straight forward story. However, it is elevated by the great performances of its actors. Of course we've got our leading man, Denzel Washington, who shows us time and again that he is a true movie star. While the depiction of his character's good and warm side is mostly found within this dialogues, the darkness that lies underneath is almost exclusively presented through Washingtons body language and facial expression. Here, he puts a lot in the details and gives a perfekt example of how much one can say with very little. Opposing him is Martin Czokas, giving a performance that might as well be an audition for a Bond villain. Calm, but unpredictale, he brings tension to every scene he is in. The interaction between those two is very fun to watch, because dispite their differences, they are actually quite similar in their way of doing things. Chloe Grace Moretz' part is smaller than the trailers suggested, but she too does a very good job, assuring us that her career isn't doomed just because she started as a child actress.

Furthermore, the camera work needs to be mentioned here as well. The varied choices of angles and especially movement beautifully underline the characters' positions and inner processes, be it the total control of the situation or a feeling of restlessness. But since this is an action flick, let's come to the actual action,... which is awesome! Nicely choreographed and again cleverly filmed, it has a realism to its brutality that gives you the chills. There are some elements that you have seen before, but even those are executed well enough that you won't mind at all.

Sure, this movie is not flawless as it has a couple of scenes that don't really add to the story and could have easily been cut. Also there are one or two conveniences that feel like their sole purpose is to keep the plot moving and interesting. But "The Equalizer" is an extremely entertaining action film nonetheless, and the movie for you, if you want to see a super bad ass Denzel Washington one man show!

For Fans Of:

Man On Fire (2004)

Killer Elite (2011)

Safe House (2012)

Taken (2008)

 Click Here To Watch Trailer!