Review: The Equalizer 2

“The equalizer will not be rushed at any time. This is a movie for those who enjoy a slow burn…”

Denzel Washington is back in his first ever sequel. The Equalizer was a 2014 film by director Antoine Fuqua in which Washington plays Robert McCall, a former CIA black ops operative who helps a number of people who interact with him in his day to day life. The film was very violent, especially the ending of the movie. But the film had character and was a surprisingly good vehicle for Washington, despite the lack of the great dialogue sequences that Denzel can roll out with ease.

The sequel is now here and surprisingly, its slower in pace than the original. This film will not be rushed, like so many sequels often do. McCall is now driving people around (Uber style) which allows him to come across a few people to help. The action scenes, as McCall continues to find creative ways of bringing justice to the nasty people of this world, are on point, and the relationship between McCall and a young arts student who lives in his building, provides the more human story elements that keep this movie from being a one man Expendables type.

Does it match the original? Not quite, as the story of the first one centred around McCall taking on a Russian mob to protect Chloe Grace Moretz and break their prostitution ring. The first film had a more menacing villain, who was ever present in the film, and the film had great tension as these two slowly got closer and closer to meeting.

The pace of the film effects the overall feel of the movie, as whilst I really enjoyed the refusal to rush things, the film felt like it was about to pick up the pace at key moments, but would then ease off the pedal and idle for a while, making it hard to fully engross yourself with the plot.

Washington is still great, as expected, and he has a brief moment with his young friend where he gets to deliver some dialogue worthy of a two time Oscar winner.

The rest of the cast is adequate, but not easily memorable. The film looks nice, with a mix of glitz and grime in different areas as well as a diverse set of characters.

That moment when someone says "his mothers name was Martha too, so suddenly they're best friends!"

I don’t suspect this film will do as well as the first, especially when it’s competing (in Australia at least) with Mamma Mia, Ant Man, Jurassic World, Skyscraper and soon, Henry Cavill’s moustache in Mission Impossible 6.

Let me explain that movie for you...

The five bearded questions:

1. Was it worth a cinema trip? Yes.

2. Would I See It Again at the Cinema? Only if someone really wanted to.

3. Would I buy it on Blu-ray: (only films I really love get bought these days) No. 4. Do I Recommend people see it? Yes.

5. Any cheese/ Disney style bullshit?: (such as jokes wedged in at serious moments, because fun!). No. There were a few light jokes at times, but very few.