The Return of the One Man War on Bad Guys

Rating: 7/10 (4 January 2015)

The Equalizer is loosely based on the 80's TV show of the same name, but it might have more in common with the corny action movies of that era that featured one man armies against hordes of bad guys. Denzel Washington takes the title role as a mysterious ex government agent of some sort who is trying to live a life of normalcy. But when he befriends a prostitute played by Chloe Grace Moretz and she falls into trouble with her Russian mob pimps, he falls back to his old skill set to reap punishment on her accosters. And Washington's Equalizer ain't no punk b---h.
Like the Stallones and Schwarzneggers of the aforementioned 80's films, Denzel is a wrecking ball of ridiculous force and wrath. But while those old 80s flicks lacked style and creativity, director Antoine Fuqua breaks out the tricks and flash of his growing repertoire and holds nothing back in the manner in which Washington dispatches baddies. While I raised an eyebrow at the ease in which a 60 year old Washington worked his way through his adversaries here, I was still entertained by a decent script and well shot action scenes.