By Nicholas Farinola, Contributing Writer ||
Is plot really that important all the time? In the case of The Equalizer, no it is not. The movie is centered around Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), an everyday working man trying to make a living like everyone else. Robert is a charitable man always willing to help others before himself, and he does this constantly throughout the movie. Teri (aka Alina) played by Chlöe Grace Moretz is in trouble with her boss Slavi. Slavi is one of the head leaders of this underground Russian sex business, and Teri happens to be caught in it. It’s very weird and often disturbing to see Chlöe Grace Moretz play this role considering she is so young. She is beaten constantly by her clients and Slavi to a point where Robert has to intrude. The two know each other from several occasions where they talk to each other at their local coffee shop. Teri, every time they speak, asks Robert questions about the book that he currently reads.
After another ordinary day of work at a Home Depot-inspired store, Robert discovers that Teri was taken to the ER after Slavi beat her to make an example to all of the other girls. Robert decides to give Slavi and his men a visit. He makes a deal that involves Teri’s freedom for almost 10 thousand dollars. Slavi says he can have her for one month with that money. Robert, very angry and disturbed by this man’s behavior, says how many seconds it will take him to kill everyone in the room, and then he clicks his watch.
Robert has skills that would make Bruce Lee cower, and it is later discovered that he was some sort of agent for the government. After his violent “meeting” with Slavi, Robert has a target on his head, placed by a man known as Punchkin. Denzel kicks, punches, and shoots his way out of his entanglement with this Russian mob, and it is one ride not to be missed.
Moretz did a good job playing this young stripper, even if she did not fit the role exactly. Washington, however, stole the show as usual with his superb acting capabilities. The man knows how to play any role, even these fast-paced action roles at 59 years old. He looks like an ordinary guy, but when the fight scenes ensue, he kills non-stop in over-the-top and bloody ways.
The action scenes are great and thought-out, but the absence of an original plot holds the movie down a bit. It seems very linear; Robert’s friend is hurt, he kills the mob leaders but has a target on his head by the king-pin. Eventually, he makes his way up to the king-pin. It’s a revenge story that has been seen before, but it didn’t matter to me because Washington’s performance was spot-on as usual, and I believed that he wanted to tear the Russian mob apart by going through the hierarchy of
leadership.
The Equalizer movie has enough blood and action to satisfy any action buff, but for those who want an original story, you will not find it here.
First-year Nicholas Farinola is a contributing writer. His email nfarinol@fandm.edu.