Denzalizer

Rating: 6/10 (5 March 2015)

Like so many big budget action flicks lately, The Equalizer just can't deliver.
The only thing keeping this movie above cheap action flicks is Denzel Washington. His suave confident self, Denzel moves through the hordes much like his also aging colleague Liam Neeson, crunching bones and slicing throats with satisfying style and skill. It could make a TV cook jealous.
The story, though stuffed with the obligatory clichés that we expect from a self-respecting action flick, lacks a believable plot. What really stood out, IMHO, was a number of atmosphere spoilers. One that comes to mind is building up a pretty decent bad guy and then letting him leave almost unnoticed through the back door.
The main flaw, and a very regrettable one, is that the movie fails to develop Washington's full potential. The guy is pictured as a true killing machine, but just when we're nailed to our chairs, the whole thing falls flat. The book scene being extremely impressive, many of the other scenes missing out either through the lack of direction or by a lack of scripting.
There are many cheaper Jason Statham movies that deliver more satisfactory action. Looking at those and at the first Taken movie, the answer must be simplicity. The Equalizer has too much excess luggage and ends up losing the fight.