Denzel is The Equalizer

           

The original tagline for the film read, “I mean, who doesn’t want to see a 59-year-old man star in an action film?” Turns out when that actor is Denzel, plenty of people do—including myself—and it totally works. This is absolutely an R-rated action film, but it brings in more reflective wit than the typical fare and hearkens even to older films like Taxi Driver. It’s by no means one of the greats, but seeing Denzel beat up baddies in creative ways in his later-stage career is still nice to see.

            Okay, so Taxi Driver is mentioned because there’s the older man working the blue-collar job, the young hooker with abusive bosses, and an overall slow-burner feel to the action; but this is by no means that movie. Denzel, Mr. McCall, is some sort of ex-government agent with OCD tendencies, but he nor the movie is as troubled or psychological as Robert de Niro and Taxi Driver. But I digress. Some might be put off by the fact that this movie takes over half an hour to start equalizing, but I think it is terrifically used to build the story and the character.

            Mr. McCall is an unassuming worker at Home Depot rip-off Home Mart where he works 40 hours a week and helps coworkers like Ralphie get in shape for his security guard exam. He is a widower that doesn’t discuss his past, and this adds to his insomnia; this leads him to drink coffee around 2 am at a diner reading his way through the list of 100 novels to read before you die—currently on The Old Man and the Sea. Chloe Grace Moretz plays the young escort that visits the diner for a slice of pie in between her duties. Slowly, they begin talking to each other and idealistically discuss Moretz’s future goals.

            After one night being sent to the ICU because Moretz’s boss had to make an example of her, Denzel dusts off the ol’ killing boots and gets to work. In a stylish, Sherlock Holmes like action scene, Denzel disposes of some of the local Russian mobsters in charge of the prostitutes using everything but a gun to gruesomely kill the Russians. In between this and the climax are a couple slightly out-of-the-way fights where Denzel deals with corrupt cops and a robber stealing from his coworker, but the second act tries building the clear antagonist in Big Bad Mr. Russian sent in to clean the mess. This is easily the weakest aspect of the film. Marton Csokas plays the Russian in charge, and he brings all the menace with him, but it’s all pretty predictable and honestly bland. David Harbour gets to sorta play the sidekick baddie, but even his presence isn’t enough to overcome the audience’s feeling of just wanting to see more Denzel.

            I’d go so far to say that the climactic scene inside Home Mart is iconic. This is where the true appeal of the movie comes through—Denzel using the tools nearby to kill the Russians. Everything wraps up nicely with a bow and sets up the sequel. And even though its final shot tries to emulate my favorite painting Nighthawks to return back to its reflective tone, it ultimately falls just a little flat. With star Denzel and Training Day and Shooter director Antoine Fuqua, The Equalizer is a mostly successful classic action film.

            Bonus Review: Denzel’s First Sequel

            Who is he? A gentleman ex-government killing machine never reveals, but for the sake of this review, Denzel is the equalizer—now as a helping Lyft driver. This time it takes even longer for the plot to truly propel Denzel back into action. If the previous Equalizer had a reflective tone, 2 is an interesting sequel in that it doubles down on the somber and melancholic quality of Mr. McCall’s character, even while attempting to amp up the action. Before the main plot point happens, along with Mr. McCall now listening to the ramblings of an old man in a retirement facility and taking a confused young man split between gangs and wanting to be an artist under his wing, Fuqua sporadically adds more action near the beginning. This includes two scenes featured prominently in the trailers—a train fight and a fight with young hooligans in a hotel room, both--mind you-- doubling down on Denzel’s ability to deliver one-liners like nobody’s business. And yeah, they really are rehashes of the central action points from the previous film (the stopwatch, analyzing the surroundings in slow-mo beforehand, and deathblows using any means necessary unless it’s a firearm) but just in different settings, but 63-year-old Denzel is still entertaining enough.

            Bill Pullman and the great Melissa Leo are the only other two returning members from the original, and it’s a shame that Leo is killed off (totally not a spoiler, this is spelled out as what propels Denzel into action), but Denzel gotta equalize somehow sometime. It’s around this time that we’re introduced to another character, and as soon as he appears, I seriously thought to myself, “I really hope he doesn’t end up being the villain because that’s just way too obvious.”



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            Yeah, he’s the bad guy. I’m tempted to just go out and say who it is because it isn’t a surprise to anybody—the director’s mother probably included. If you scroll a couple paragraphs up, I mention that the antagonist is the worst part about The Equalizer, and the sequel follows suit. To be fair much less attention is given to the villain—somewhat because there’s supposed to be a surprise reveal of him later on as the baddie—nevertheless, that allows Denzel to shine through more.

            There’s an emotional scene with Denzel and the aspiring artist, and the drama comes a bit out of left field, but I’m totally there for it. The climax also is an impressive set and Fuqua continues to impress with his directing, but this ultimately still falls under a by-the-books sequel. It amps up the action to mixed results, builds upon Mr. McCall’s background, and adds some memorable one-lines courtesy of Denzel. It fails hard in trying to shake things up with the villain, but still intrigues—if only a little—in its reflective tone. This isn’t a perfect sequel, and I’d say the original edges it out, but fans of the first will probably stay fans of the series after this installment. All fingers point to an Equalizer 3, but if that’s to become a reality, one has to imagine it better start soon before the “I’m too old for this,” line will truly apply to Denzel.

            In Brief:

·       After a mostly quiet June, there are now a slew of movies that have caught my eye. I am surprisingly interested in Yesterday and am probably more excited than most people for Spider-Man: Far From Home.

·       Also just saw Toy Story 4. Can’t say it’s the best in the series, but I’d probably at least put it above 3. Unsurprisingly, the supporting cast shines—like Keanu Reeves and Key and Peele. There are some very clever moments, especially story-wise, but the humor is somewhat limited this time around, and that’s perfectly fine. And to wrap it up, Pixar is getting incredibly good at animation. There’s a lengthy scene where Woody is walking down a road at night, and never before have I been so excited over gravel.

·       I also perhaps enjoyed Hereditary more than most, so I’m keeping my eye on Midsommar which looks like a super crazy and disturbing version of the underrated show The Path.

·       Elizabeth Banks feels like she’ll be a director worthy of making an entertaining Charlie’s Angels reboot without making anything all that incredible. But in good news, Kristen Stewart looks like she’ll have a great role in it!

·       I’m also slowly being won over by just how crazy real The Lion King looks, but the movie to really watch out for in July is Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.