The Equalizer: balancing the scales

By Sophia Doshi

I watched The Equalizer the other night with my dad and contrary to all of the Letterboxd reviews, it was a rather good movie. I loved Denzel Washington's portrayal of Bob McCall, an unsuspecting ex-FBI agent who has insomnia and excels in killing. He eliminates countless enemies involved in a greater plot to make counterfeit money and uses a Russian Mafia Boss's political and economic ties as insulation against federal and authoritative action. I enjoyed this movie for multiple reasons: I appreciated the stoic nature and nomadic lifestyle with which Bob McCall lived, and also reminded me of the show Reacher (you can read my review of it here!). 

I also enjoyed the stark difference between how Bob treats women and how all of the enemies treated women. In my opinion, all women must be treated with respect, kindness, and empathy, regardless of where they come from and what their profession is. So when someone disrespects a woman (as the comically un-scary villain did), Bob doesn't play around. He pulls no punches as he takes out a portion of the crime syndicate on the homefront. He then releases a young woman from the shackles of the prostitution trade done by the greater Russian Mafia, bringing the film to a satisfying ending. 

I've always known Denzel Washington to be a renowned actor, starring in movies like Fences, Inside Man, and Remember the Titans. Until The Equalizer, I don't remember having seen him in any films of note, but I enjoyed this film.  It's your classic good vs evil at its finest with the 'good guy' having some morally grey moments. The audience justifies Bob's actions because all of his killing is used to free the women in the sex trade. I also appreciated Bob's fatherly nature and the kindness he treats Teri/Anita and Ralphie. It's a refreshing difference between how the mean Russian guy treats everyone. His journey culminates in shooting the main villain multiple times with a nail gun; it is like seeing the final boss of Home Depot. The villain asks, of course, "Who are you?!" in his desperate final moments, which kind of throws off the entire dark tone of the battle. 

Speaking of darkness, I enjoyed the lighting in each shot, especially those with Bob outside that foreshadowed his journey ahead. Antoine Fuqua's direction is masterful, using shadow and light to reflect Bob McCall's inner turmoil and the gritty reality of his missions. The use of slow motion during action sequences adds intensity and emphasizes McCall's precision and control. The soundtrack complements the film's tension and emotional undertones perfectly. The music heightens the suspense during pivotal moments and underscores McCall's calm yet deadly demeanor while he exacts vengeance on his enemies. 

Washington's unwavering performance as Robert McCall was entertaining and moving, and made me reevaluate my love of stereotypical action movies (a lie; I love stereotypical action movies although I really shouldn't). Beyond the action, it was McCall's firm moral compass and dedication to helping others that left a lasting impression on me.

Cover image from IMDb