Following the blockbusting success of The Equalizer back in 2014, we see the return of Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in The Equalizer II. Antoine Fuqua also returns to the director's chair as well. Denzel Washington has enjoyed a stellar career (Training Day is my personal favourite movie of his) and The Equalizer II has the distinction of being the first sequel that Denzel has appeared in. While I had an enjoyable time in the cinema, the first movie is definitely superior.
Retired CIA Agent Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) continues to live the quiet life as a Lyft driver in Boston but also works secretly as a vigilante by setting out to right the wrongs in society by unleashing swift justice to the perpetrators and protecting the victims. Robert McCall finds himself returning to his old life when his best friend Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) is murdered by thugs under mysterious circumstances after she starts to uncover a secret conspiracy involving the deaths of other agents at the hands of highly trained assassins. McCall also reunites with a former friend Dave York (Pedro Pascal) with whom he worked with years ago.
Watching Denzel Washington return to his role as Robert McCall was definitely the main reason why I enjoyed the movie. In the first movie, you saw an everyday man go about his business and there was an air of mystery about his lethal skills and abilities. I also found myself quietly cheering during the climatic action scenes. The storyline was cleverly done and it was still great fun to see McCall take down the bad guys. One slight disappointment was that I felt like some of the action scenes were a bit overblown which slightly tarnished the movie. That aside, I was glued to my seat throughout the whole movie and there was no way that I was going to dismiss this as just another sequel. The ending also opens the door for a third movie.
If you are a fan of Denzel Washington and you liked the first movie, sit back and have a great time watching Denzel in action.
7/10.
Retired CIA Agent Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) continues to live the quiet life as a Lyft driver in Boston but also works secretly as a vigilante by setting out to right the wrongs in society by unleashing swift justice to the perpetrators and protecting the victims. Robert McCall finds himself returning to his old life when his best friend Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) is murdered by thugs under mysterious circumstances after she starts to uncover a secret conspiracy involving the deaths of other agents at the hands of highly trained assassins. McCall also reunites with a former friend Dave York (Pedro Pascal) with whom he worked with years ago.
Watching Denzel Washington return to his role as Robert McCall was definitely the main reason why I enjoyed the movie. In the first movie, you saw an everyday man go about his business and there was an air of mystery about his lethal skills and abilities. I also found myself quietly cheering during the climatic action scenes. The storyline was cleverly done and it was still great fun to see McCall take down the bad guys. One slight disappointment was that I felt like some of the action scenes were a bit overblown which slightly tarnished the movie. That aside, I was glued to my seat throughout the whole movie and there was no way that I was going to dismiss this as just another sequel. The ending also opens the door for a third movie.
If you are a fan of Denzel Washington and you liked the first movie, sit back and have a great time watching Denzel in action.
7/10.