At its best when it isn't trying to be 'cool'; at its worst when it is.

Rating: 5/10 (19 August 2018)

There's a slightly sadistic edge to a lot of the violence in 'The Equalizer (2014)', even to that perpetrated by our hero. It doesn't help that he's presented as a cold-blooded killer who often stares into the eyes of his struggling foes as the life slowly drains from them, someone who murders a number of people entirely of his own volition and not even in self-defence or in direct defence of others (though he does deal out death in order to 'help' people). The violence is so key to the plot, being used in all but one of the 'solutions' to the problems our protagonist aims to 'solve', and even the movie's overall arcs and messages, with our hero actively encouraged to go back to his violent ways and with those methods actually being somewhat endorsed as the only real way to 'win' even in a situation that could've perhaps been circumvented entirely, that the bloodshed feels highlighted almost to the point of glamorisation, as opposed to being shown in a graphic manner (perhaps more realistic than most) to emphasise its consequences - both physical and psychological - or its last-resort nature. These problems are emphasised because the flick clearly thinks it's incredibly 'cool' - with several moments utilising overt slow motion and an over-the-top score to try to convince you of its apparent 'coolness' and, in the process, completely reducing any effect the moment could've once had, instead of letting an inherently impressive moment naturally impress (at one point, even making a scene literally laughable). Despite the fact that it shoots itself in the foot, so to speak, and reduces its own impact through the very techniques it uses in an attempt to enhance it, the initial intention still shines through and actually makes for an experience that starts to, perhaps strangely, feel a little uncomfortable at times. It usually fails to provide enjoyment on either a serious or silly level, despite its occasionally successful character-work and some entertaining sequences. In reality, the first twenty minutes are actually the most successful. It's probably no coincidence that these occur before any of the killing kicks off, with the focus placed on likeable characters trying to help one another simply by being there and doing what they can. The best moments are the ones most akin to a quiet drama - and this is coming from someone who loves action cinema, by the way. This proves problematic, then, given that the whole point of the piece is that its protagonist is a vigilante. There's a key difference between hero and vigilante, though, and the film doesn't seem to understand that. There's no comment on his brutal methods or flawed morals. Most importantly, there's no real entertainment. 5/10