Written by Alisa Posey
“The Equalizer” is an action-packed thriller starring Denzel Washington. Is there really anything else you can ask for?
The movie, directed by Antoine Fuqua, centers on Robert McCall (Washington), a man with a questionable past trying to live a nice peaceful life working at a home improvement store.
His quiet life changes when he meets a Teri, played my Chloë Grace Moretz, in a diner he frequently patronizes. The two develop an almost father-daughter relationship.
McCall later suspects trouble with Teri when Russian gangsters beat her and put her in a car. As it turns out, the Russian gangsters are controlling her life. McCall, cannot just sit by and watch and tries to save her from disaster, but ends up becoming a target himself for one of the gangster enforcers named Teddy, played by Marton Csokas.
The acting in the film was incredible. Washington was great, but Moretz was also very impressive. When she first appeared in the film she was almost unrecognizable as a prostitute. Washington’s and Moretz’s characters had great connection that the audience could feel, showing that they probably had a great connection outside of the acting as well.
The cinematography is definitely an additional reason to go see this film. When Washington’s character would take action the camera would start in slow motion, zooming into Washington’s eyes. Then it would move to close-ups of details like water spraying on his face. There was also great detail from his perspective. When McCall was about to take action on the “bad guys,” the camera would switch to his perspective. It would slow down, showing everything he was looking at and giving him time to make his next move. Cinematographer Mauro Fiore was brilliant in making these moments count because they show the importance of what is going on. The audience knows something important is about to happen.
The film is a bit long, but it’s a film I definitely recommend others to watch. A film with a great plot, great actors, great production and postproduction is worth anyone’s time.
