After the
awesome viewing of The
Equalizer (2014) (based on the TV series of the same name by CBS
in 1985), I knew a sequel was imminent. Hey, studios like to make movies people
love, especially ones that are successful at the box office.
So, the moment the date for The Equalizer 2 was set, I marked it as a
must-watch. There’s something about Denzel’s style as a badass former operative
turned vigilante kicking butt that’s just cool.
The first movie
had a clear focus: Robert McCall (Denzel) met a woman he wanted to inspire to
be a better person. After developing a guardian-like, father-figure
relationship with her, one guy decides he has other plans—plans that include
sex trafficking. McCall is forced to step up and take down the man and his team
of villains. The fun isn’t just the story, but the action sequences that
followed.
In the sequel,
McCall is working as a Lyft driver, helping others with the aid of his friend,
Susan. One day, while Susan is investigating a supposed murder-suicide with
McCall's former partner, she is murdered in what appears to be a robbery.
Now, McCall is on the case to capture the people behind his friend’s death. He
discovers it wasn’t a robbery but a murder. He also finds out that the case
Susan was working on was actually a murder, not a murder-suicide. After
submitting his findings, he too is attacked in an attempted murder, but the
assailant fails.
Now, McCall has
to put two and two together and figure out why Susan was killed and why his
life is now in danger.
The first movie
had other random acts of kindness here and there, but this new Equalizer has
numerous acts of kindness that feel unnecessary. I prefer the first movie’s
style of presenting our hero—focused on one main story, with other things
happening on the side that require his expertise. Here, it feels like a
never-ending series of good deeds, and at first, you’re left wondering what the
main plot will be. This made the movie’s pacing less effective, even though
Denzel’s acting and performance were still top-notch, and the action sequences
were very cool.
This is the
fourth collaboration between Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua. They
previously worked together on the Academy Award-winning Training
Day (2001), The
Equalizer (2014), and The
Magnificent Seven (2016).
I enjoyed this
movie very much, even though there were many distractions from the main story.
I hope the movie makes enough at the box office to give us a third installment,
one that’s as focused as the first. If you liked The
Equalizer (2014), you’ll like this one too.
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