I remember watching the original Equalizer (1985) on television as a child. I always enjoyed the idea of there being a person who could right the wrongs of everyday life, without necessarily being one of the monsters they fought. Edward Woodward, if memory serves, struck a nice balance between happy warrior and deadly serious badass. This new incarnation of The Equalizer looks much more dour than its predecessor and filled with dark humor, but still has a great revenge story appeal about it. My hope is that it doesn’t become a clone of Man on Fire, but I think that’s what audiences are secretly hoping for. I suspect, however, that the violence will probably be toned down to attract younger audiences. See it in theaters on September 26, 2014.
Synopsis
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by – he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.