The Equalizer Review


The Equalizer (2014)






The Equalizer, directed by Antoine Fuqua, is well-known for belonging to the suspense and action genre and also for the performance of Denzel Washington as an ex government special agent. Robert McCall had promised his passing wife that he would leave that lifestyle in the past but he is bound to come back once again when Teri is found in danger. 


Teri (whose real name is actually Alina) has not had an easy life either. She was handed to a Russian mob when she was five and is now being a victim of abuse by Slavi, a member of said mob. One night, after Teri has been badly beaten and finds herself in the hospital, Robert goes to a restaurant owned by the mob and tries to buy Teri's freedom but his offer gets denied. McCall ends up killing Slavi and the rest of the members present, officially breaking the oath done to his wife. The next day, McCall goes back to his mundane job at Home Mart but his actions are not ignored by the Russians. The leader, Vladimir Pushkin, learns what happened and decides to send Teddy to kill McCall which does not go as planned.


In the scene where they both meet for the second time (the brick by brick scene) we get to know Teddy's background and why they are so different even though they both work in the same environment. The scene is very tense and has details of humour and irony which makes it so absorbing. McCall intimidates and warns Teddy about what is to come by telling him a story that Teddy happens to know well. He starts going on about an orphan that had a rough life who was trying to survive by stealing from individuals until one day a loving family decided to take him in. Years had passed and the orphan had finally let himself love but the family ended up dead with no trail of the kid and no suspects. The police inform said that a few things were stolen and after an investigation without any luck they dropped the case.


"Stop me if you know this one," said McCall. 

"No, no, carry on" answered Teddy. 


They both let each other know that none of them are going to stop until the other is dead and McCall makes it very clear by telling Teddy his childhood story and letting him know that he is not as invisible as he believes. Teddy makes his move by taking the workers of Home Mart hostages in the store, baiting McCall. It ends up with Teddy's and his convoys death, killed one by one with carpentry material in the most sanguinary way possible. McCall then goes for Vladimir to his own home and electrifies him to death, officially accomplishing his mission and finishing with the Russian mob. 


Alina is now free and decides to leave the city to pursue her music career and a normal life and Mr. McCall cannot be happier for her. This event inspires him to keep helping people who the system has been unjust or not helpful at all. 





The Equalizer is considered to be part of the action and suspense genre because of the characteristics it has. And something that makes the film remarkable is the use of slow motion before and during fight scenes giving more tension, sophistication and cleaness to the movements of said scenes.

Robert McCall is a very likable character distinguished by his humbleness and by the fact that he does not want any type of recognition. He wants to be invisible while helping the people in trouble. His peculiarness is what also makes him a distinguishable character with the way he times everything and how he tries to provoke his enemies. Teri on the other hand plays an important role that leads to the plot of the story’s film but there is no character development. She is seriously injured from the abuse, ends up in the hospital and the next thing we know about her is that she is moving to another city to live a normal life after the Russian mob is defeated.


Throughout the movie guns and violence are used to represent the characters power and authority, but it starts losing its meaning when McCall proves that he does not need any of those things to be better and superior. He does not need guns, money, other people to intimidate in his place or someone to speak for him, and is clear that he uses violence to defend himself and other people that may need it. He does everything on his own and is conscious that it is not morally correct, but in his defense, he does give people the choice to do the right thing before making them face the consequences for their acts.


I would recommend this film. Inside the action genre The Equalizer is one of the best regarding quality. Although some might say that the story line is ordinary it does not affect the impact that these amazing actors pass on to the audience.










Brick by brick scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyxkjYmlzhg




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