Injustice surrounds us everywhere we go, often perpetrated by those with more power and money than God, it seems. There is a desire to see a knight in shining armor. They fill our fairy tales, occupy space in our movies and books, and pervade our feel-good stories about the real world. The problem is, a knight is never in shining armor if they are actually doing the “knight” part. The Equalizer analyzes the concept and delves deep into the nitty and gritty required to protect people and do good.
Released in 2014, starring Denzel Washington as the titular Equalizer, the film is based on an 80s television series that starred Edward Woodward as Robert McCall. The gist of the story is that McCall worked for a shadowy organization (here, it’s the CIA, though the show referred to it as the Agency or the Company, both terms used for spy organizations) and is now seeking to atone for what he has done by helping those who cannot help themselves. The Equalizer (1986-1989) ran for four seasons of twenty-two episodes and has since been revitalized in one form or another. Denzel Washington starred as Robert McCall in three theatrically released films. Since 2021, Queen Latifa has starred as Robyn McCall in an updated version that combines aspects of the movies and the original series. It just goes to show how enduring a concept like this can be. We all wish for a Guardian Angel to help us out of our problems, but sometimes those problems are too dangerous for typical help to work.
Throughout the movie, the details surrounding who Robert McCall is are only carefully laid out as crumbs. It isn’t until he calls on the aid of a former associate, Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo), that we learn that Robert is believed to be dead by the CIA and the world at large. How and why this is the life he leads is not picked apart in this entry, but we are given just enough information to let us know that Robert is a capable combatant, a strategical powerhouse, and a tactical genius – all dangerous abilities when put into combination.
All the while, he lives a quiet life, working at a big-box home improvement store. He spends his days helping his colleagues, which is most effectively shown through the character of Ralphie (Johnny Skourtis), a young man who is working to lose weight to be promoted to Security Guard. Outside of work, it’s clear that Robert is a personable guy who connects with all kinds of people. Teri/Alina (Chloë Grace Moretz) plays this part for Robert – a hooker from Russia who aspires to escape her hellish life and become a musician. Between the two of them, they are Robert’s main targets for help in The Equalizer. He cares for their wellbeing, is intuitive to who they are as people, and desires to be of help to them – though not in an overbearing way. He is unwilling to help those who will not help themselves, especially since they willfully reject his help. This does not mean he will abandon somebody if he senses their pushback is because of an external force beyond their control.
Through his time in the military and the CIA, Robert is observant and patient. He takes advantage of environmental factors, either manufactured or natural, to handle situations he ends up in. We see at several points that he can accurately predict how an opponent will act, or in the case of many, re-act to stimuli. He uses this insight to wreak massive havoc on those who cross him or the people he is trying to help. But, we also see that, while he can handle himself and plan ahead, he is prone to making mistakes by simply missing the bigger picture. This is best emphasized when he ensures Alina is safely removed from her situation and confronts Slavi (David Meunier).
While Robert is more than capable of dispatching his opponents with finality because he no longer has direct access to the resources that make planning an operation easier, he steps into a bigger mess than anticipated. Slavi is not just some local thug overseeing a prostitution ring or drug trade but is actually responsible for a vast swath of a much larger syndicate overseen by a Russian oligarch, Vladimir Pushkin (Vladimir Kulich). Killing your way through your problems is a short-term solution that can easily backfire if the more significant implications are not considered. Robert makes more moves when he becomes aware of a bigger threat, exposing his secret in short order.
As an action-thriller with intense, dramatic sequences, The Equalizer pays off through its subplots, which intermingle throughout the film and its supporting cast. Susan Plummer’s husband, Brian Plummer (Bill Pullman), is clearly a friend of Robert’s, too, and it’s always nice to see a former President, even if it’s in a quieter role.
One major supporting character that Robert works with is Jenny (Anastasia Mousis Sanidopoulos), who he helps when a burglar enters their store. She features throughout the film, laying the groundwork for the kind of quiet, simple life Robert tries to protect for himself, and those around him.
Mandy (Haley Bennet) is a friend and coworker of Alina’s who is grateful enough for Robert’s help, and she actively lies about him to Teddy when he first arrives. As their stories weave through The Equalizer, we witness how Robert McCall operates, where he falls short, and how he counterattacks.
The primary antagonist throughout the film is Teddy (Marton Csokas, known for his roles as bad guys in XXX and The Bourne Supremacy). He is the one who is sent to clean up the mess that Robert has made, which involves tearing his way through their competitors in crime and the dirty cops that his employer has hired to ensure their work goes uninterrupted. David Harbour, a mere two years before his massive breakout performance in Stranger Things (though by far not an unknown at this point, either, just the point at which he stopped playing villains primarily), plays one of the crooked cops, Frank Masters.
The Equalizer takes advantage of its R-rating, tackling tough concepts and topics without shying away from their consequences. We see how deadly Alina’s profession can be when the wrong people ask questions or the wrong guy forces you into their car. Money and power are treated as a means to an end, and if you don’t have enough of either, you are literally laughed out of the room. Violence, as a solution, can be an effective tool – whether applied lethally or not – but it can also brew more significant problems. We are also treated to several brutal, visceral fight scenes, very few of which put Robert on the ropes. He may be decades older than his opponent, but it does not make him an easy target. To those he introduces himself to, he appears a doddering old man ripe for the picking. But when he throws himself into a fight, there is little hope for his opponent.
As a standalone film, The Equalizer is a sublime reimagining of a classic television show. It is a reminder of what makes Denzel Washington a treat to watch, whether in his most dramatic roles or ones where he plays a walking, talking catastrophe for the lowest of the low. Chloë Grace Moretz, though billed third and ostensibly the impetus for the vast majority of the film’s story, plays a more minor role than her on-the-rise career would have implied. Still, there are rules and regulations when it comes to child actors. Regardless, she pulls her weight as Alina and is an emotional touchstone that makes the story worthwhile. With two sequels, each entry built off of what came before while tackling new ground. We’ll see how those fit in in the coming weeks.
Lloydd Marshall Books 