The Equalizer

This review may contain spoilers.

The Equalizer is an action epic filled with brilliant storytelling, humour and a fantastic hero and villain. I would give the Equalizer an 8/10.

This film has a lot to love about it. The action scenes alone are so incredibly inventive and well choreographed that it immediately is set above the rest of the action films this year. There was also some brilliant music, I'd give special mention to the music done by Zack Hemsey here. The film was incredibly well shot and edited, it had a really nice visual style. But it was the story that gave it strength, this was a vigilante hero who wiped out a Russian crime ring slowly through the film. It was how this character connected with the community around him and how he was both funny and kind that made this film an action epic rather different to your usual gun toting extravaganza.

Denzel Washington, who played Robert McCall, did a fantastic job as the main protagonist of this film; his quick and easy wit and interchanging displays of ruthlessness stole many scenes. Chloe Grace Moretz, who played Teri, was a great emotional character in the film; she wasn't a major player but she brought a lot of heart to the film.

Marton Csokas, who played Teddy, was a tough call to pick for my favourite; yet I find I always enjoyed when he was onscreen that much more than when Denzel Washington was onscreen. This guy just captured the perfect villain, we was cold and heartless. Ultimately he was more of a sociopath than a full blown psychopath but the amount of control he had over this killer character was incredible.

I think the one thing I have to say against this film is that it dragged out a little bit, it took too much time away from the action before cramming in a very long action sequence.

David Harbour, who played Masters, was a terrible henchman figure; the film didn't need the amount of focus it gave him. Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo, who played Brian Plummer and Susan Plummer respectively, gave a very forced performance in a scene that was just crammed withtying up loose ends for the sake of just that. Johnny Skourtis, who played Ralphie, was meant to be an innocent type figure that you love but was really just trashy subplot that you didn't really enjoy.