Better than expected

Rating: Null/10 (26 October 2019)

I really enjoyed this film. Denzel Washington proves time and time again he has immense talents, transforming what could be a generic action thriller into something fun and surprisingly emotional. I can't imagine this movie being nearly as good without him. His character moves from gentle and sympathetic to intense and heroic, with frightening efficiency. The movie never fully overcomes genre tropes, but it is a fun ride nonetheless.
At its core, this is an "old man getting dragged back into the game" story, and it spends enough time building a well-realized character with believable motivations. Denzel works a day job at a large hardware/home store, and spends late nights reading at a 24 hour diner. He takes sympathy for a young girl who is involved in a bad way with some Russian dudes. The story soon spirals into "Denzel takes on everyone". He believes is justice and acts as a moral arbiter for the everyday person, the down and out. The action often revolve around Denzel surveilling and taking out bad guys with old-man resourcefulness, incorporating every-day tools and home-goods into the violence. In a way, this is "suburban Dad dream film", and as such, you don't have to take it too seriously.
My major gripes with the film: The main villain is a cartoonish baddie. He is one dimensional and boringly evil. Also, every Boston accent is a travesty. Even for hollywood Boston accents this is not good (Denzel Washington shrewdly avoids attempting one).